WYOMING’S HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT
FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2012
Highway Safety Program Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Blvd. Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-3340
MATTHEW H. MEAD MATTHEW D. CARLSON, P.E. Governor Governor’s Representative for Highway Safety
FINAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
WYOMING FY2012 HIGHWAY SAFETY PLAN
December 14, 2012
Matthew D. Carlson, P.E. State Highway Safety Engineer Governor’s Representative for Highway Safety
Robert Tompkins, Supervisor Highway Safety Program State Highway Safety Coordinator
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Office Structure ...... 1 Compliance to Certifications and Assurances ...... 2 Executive Summary ...... 3 Performance and Core Outcome Measures Statewide ...... 4-6 Alcohol Impaired Driving ...... 7-9 Occupant Protection ...... 10-12 Speed Enforcement ...... 13-14 Motorcycle Safety ...... 15 Youthful Drivers/Pedestrians ...... 16 Expenditure Synopsis ...... 17 -22 Accomplishments & Highlights of Highway Safety Efforts ...... 23-25 Planning and Administration Summary ...... 26 Program Summaries Impaired Driving ...... 2 7-39 Occupant Protection ...... 40 -55 Speed Enforcement ...... 5 6-57 Paid Media ...... 5 8-64 Traffic Records ...... 6 5-67 Motorcycle Safety ...... 6 8-69 Noteworthy Project ...... 70 -79
ADDENDUM:
Legislative Report ...... A1-A2 Highway Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Grants ...... A3-A13 WHP Traffic Enforcement Grant ...... A14-A24 Media Summary [Impaired Driving] ...... A25-A27 Media Summary [Occupant Protection] ...... A28-A34 Media Summary [Native American Media Outreach] ...... A35-A36 Media Summary [Distracted Driving] ...... A37-A38 CPS Event Statistics ...... A39-A40 FY2012 Hazard Elimination Report ...... A41
Wyoming Department of Transportation FY2012 Highway Safety Program
Office Structure
The Highway Safety Office (HSO) is one of the Highway Safety Program sections within the Wyoming Department of Transportation. The section consists of four staff members that report to the Governor’s Representative (GR). Together, through the insight of skilled veterans, HSO staff are focused on data driven problem identification, project funding to address identified problems and project evaluations to determine effectiveness. We are deeply committed to reducing the number of persons injured and killed on Wyoming’s roadways. Listed below are the members of the Highway Safety Office.
GR: Matthew D. Carlson, P.E. State Highway Safety Engineer Governor’s Representative for Highway Safety
HSO Staff: Robert Tompkins Highway Safety Program Supervisor State Highway Safety Coordinator
Dalene Call Sr. Financial/Grants Manager Areas: Safe Communities, 410HFR, and 154 Alcohol, Grants Tracking System, Agency Financial, etc.
Anna Thompson Grants Manager Areas: Occupant Protection, Motorcycle, Roadway Safety, Speed Enforcement, 410HFR, Paid Media etc.
Stephanie Lucero Grants Manager Areas: Traffic Records, Police Traffic Services, Roadway Safety, Paid Media, 410HVE, 410HFR, Hazard Elimination, etc.
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2 3 Annual Report of Performance & Core Outcome Measures Performance and Core Outcome Measures Statewide
To decrease traffic fatalities 10 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 162 to 146 by December 31, 2012.
[NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 1; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: During the creation of the FY2012 Highway Safety Plan, FARS most current year in their database was the calendar year 2009, however, the State database has updated 2010 data. The average number of fatalities over the years 2005-2009 was 162. Traffic fatalities have decreased in Wyoming from the 2006-2010 calendar base year average of 158 to 135 in 2011. As of October 31, 2012 there were 103 traffic fatalities in Wyoming compared to 113 in 2011 during the same time period.
To maintain or decrease rural fatalities/VMT from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 2.06 instead of the projected 2.07 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 3b; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: Between the years 2005-2009, the average rate was 2.06. FARS most current year in their database for rates is still 2009.
4 To maintain a downward trend of urban fatalities/VMT from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 0.86 to 0.84 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 3c; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: Between the years 2005-2009 the average rate was 0.86. Not unexpectedly, rural fatality rates are higher than urban rates. FARS most current year in their database for rates is still 2009.
To decrease fatalities and serious injuries by 9 percent from 2006-2010 calendar base year average of 974 to 971 by December 31, 2012.
[State Performance Measure; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: The average number of fatalities and serious injuries from 2007-2011 was 851.
5 To maintain the Wyoming Fatality and Serious Injury Rate/VMT downward trend to 7.89 instead of the projected 9.38 by end of CY2013 (State).
[State Performance Measure; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: The average VMT rate for fatal and serious injuries from 2007 to 2011 is 9.20.
To decrease serious traffic injuries from the 2006-2010 calendar base year average of 816 to 526 by December 31, 2013.
[NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 2, Data Source: State]
Progress Report: Since the creation of the FY2012 Highway Safety Plan, the State has updated their database to include the calendar year 2011 which had 488 serious traffic injuries.
Note: Serious injuries are defined as an incapacitating injury which varies from unable to walk normally to paralyzed and comatose. Until more accurate medical assessment data is available, the Highway Safety Office will continue to measure serious injury as an incapacitating injury.
6 Alcohol
To decrease alcohol impaired driving fatalities 5 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 56 to 50 by December 31, 2012.
[NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 5; Data Source: FARS]
Note: Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities are all fatalities in crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a BAC of .08 or greater.
Progress Report: # The number of alcohol impaired driving fatalities went from 48 in 2009 to 54 in 2010 (FARS). # The percentage of alcohol involved fatal crashes has decreased from 32.8% in CY 2010 to 26.7% in 2011 (State Data). # The percent of deaths that were alcohol related in CY2010 was 31.4% and 25.9% in 2011 (State Data). # The alcohol involved fatality rate per 100M VMT decreased from 0.52 in CY 2010 to 0.38 in 2011 (State Data). # The number of persons killed in alcohol related crashes decreased from 48 in CY2010 to 35 in CY2011. This is a 27% decrease. # The number of alcohol-impaired drivers under the age of 21 involved in crashes increased from 209 in CY 2010 to 214 in CY 2011.
The state recognizes its alcohol impaired driving problem and is addressing it on many fronts. The following were new alcohol related legislation in FY2012.
# Ignition Interlock Program Fees: Passed and effective July 1, 2012. An ACT relating to department of transportation funding; setting standards for ignition interlock driver’s license fees; requiring a minimum fee; setting a maximum fee; providing for the deposit and continuous appropriation of fees; and providing for an effective date. Requires the Department of Transportation to establish a fee, not to exceed $125.00, chargeable to every person applying for an ignition interlock restricted license. Fees are not to be collected from persons who are indigent per W.S. 31-7-401 (b)(vii). Fees and interest received by the department are to be deposited into an ignition interlock account. All monies in the account are continuously appropriated to the department for operation of the ignition interlock program.
# DUI - Penalities: Passed and effective July 1, 2012. An Act relating to motor vehicles; increasing penalty for fourth or subsequent offense of driving under the influence; and providing for an effective date. Increases the maximum imprisonment for a fourth or subsequent DUI conviction within ten (10) years from two (2) years to seven (7) years. Supporting grant project information is detailed in the Alcohol section.
7 8 There were 347 DUI/Alcohol impaired driving arrests made during all grant-funded overtime enforcement activities in FY2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Activity Measure 2; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: Local law enforcement agencies serving 85% of the state's population participated in overtime grants to increase DUI enforcement on Wyoming’s roadways. Comparing FY2012 to FY2011 grant activity, there was an overall decrease of 119 DUI arrests. Local law enforcement DUI arrests decreased from 387 in FY2011 to 244 in FY2012. Total number of overtime hours worked also decreased by 42.6%.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol increased DUI arrests from 79 in FY2011 to 103 in FY2012. Total number of overtime hours increased by 7.4%.
9 Occupant Protection
To increase the statewide observed seat belt use of front seat outboard occupants in passenger vehicles 2 percentage points from the 2010 calendar base year usage rate of 78.9% to 81.1% by December 31, 2013. [NHTSA/GHSA Behavior Measure 1; Data Source: State]
Progress Report Wyoming struggles to make an impact in seat belt usage, especially with Wyoming residents. A new methodology of surveying seat belt usage in Wyoming was implemented in 2012. The survey was developed in accordance with the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 23 CFR Part §1340. The baseline number for seat belt usage in Wyoming in 2012 is 77%. Note: Wyoming will continue to work towards a 2 percentage point increase from the 2012 baseline average moving forward into 2013.
With this new methodology, the overall estimated seat belt use for all vehicle occupants was 77%. Seat belt usage rate in rural areas as 76.5% compared to 78.6% in urban sites. Rural sites accounted for more than two-thirds of the drivers and passengers in the sample. The percent of Wyoming residents belted was 72.2%.
The percentage of unbelted fatalities has increased from 60.7% in 2007 to 63.1% in 2011. Actual numbers of unbelted fatalities in 2007 was 71 compared to 65 in 2011.
More information is provided in the Occupant Protection portion of the Annual Report.
10 To decrease unrestrained passenger vehicle occupant fatalities, in all seating positions, 5 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 81 to 77 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 4; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: The percentage of unrestrained fatalities decreased from the 2005-2009 base year average 81 to 69 in 2010. The 2006-2010 base year average was 78.
To reduce the unrestrained fatalities from 67.9% in CY 2010 crashes to 66.8% in CY 2013.
[State Performance Measure; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: The 2011 unrestrained fatality involvement was 63.1%. Heightened efforts to encourage seat belt use occurred in FY2012 with help from law enforcement, safe communities, the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition and media.
11 To increase the proper restraint use of children ages 1-8 from 13.6% in 2009 to 20.5%, as demonstrated by the CPS Check-Up Tracker, by December 31, 2012. [State Performance Measure; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: The number of child restraints checked in FY2012 was 1,453 including 637 new seats being distributed at CPS checkup events.
The misuse rate has varied from 76.25% in 2010 to 72.02% in 2011 to 89.58 in 2012.
The number of seat belt citations issued during all grant-funded law enforcement overtime activities for FY2012 were 527 seatbelt citations and 58 child restraint citations. [NHTSA/GHSA Activity Measure 1; Data Source: State]
Progress Report: Local law enforcement agencies serving 85% of the state's population participated in overtime grants to increase belt usage on Wyoming’s roadways. Local law enforcement seat belt and child restraint citations (all campaigns) decreased from 586 citations in FY2011 to 359 in FY2012. Total number of overtime hours worked also decreased by 42.6%.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) seat belt and child restraint citations decreased from 305 in FY2011 to 226 in FY2012. Total number of overtime hours increased by 7.4%.
12 Speed
To decrease speeding-related fatalities 5 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 59 to 56 by December 31, 2012.
[NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 6; Data Source: FARS] Note: Speed-related fatalities include the primary elements of a) exceeding the posted speed limit or b) speed too fast for conditions.
Progress Report: # Speed-related crashes increased from 24.5% in the 2006-2010 year baseline average to 37.8% in CY 2011. (State Data) # The speed-related fatality rate per 100M VMT also increased from 0.71 in CY2010 to 0.86 in CY2011. (State Data) # The speed-related fatal and serious (incapacitating) injury rate decreased from the 2006- 2010 base year average of 4.15 to 3.59 in CY 2011. (State Data)
13 There were 4,660 speeding citations issued during all grant-funded overtime enforcement activities in FY2012. NHTSA/GHSA Activity Measure 3; Data Source: State
Progress Report: Local law enforcement serving 85% of the state's population participated in overtime grants to reduce speeding on Wyoming’s roadways. Local law enforcement speeding citations decreased from 3,942 in FY2011 to 1,728 in FY2012. A 42.6% decrease was also seen in overtime enforcement hours.
Wyoming Highway Patrol law enforcement overtime grant activity increased slightly when comparing FY2011 to FY2012. Speeding citations written went from 2,910 in FY2011 to 2,932 in FY2012, a difference of 32 citations. Total number of overtime hours increased by 7.4%.
14 Motorcycle Safety
To decrease motorcyclist fatalities 11 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 18 to 16 by December 31, 2012.
[NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 7; Data Source: FARS] Note: FARS has a different definition of motorcycles than the state. It is less inclusive.
Progress Report: The average number of motorcyclist fatalities increased to 21 for the calendar years of 2006- 2010. Notably, there was a large increase in motorcyclist fatalities from 13 in CY 2009 to 33 in CY 2010 (FARS). In 2011, there were 16 motorcyclist fatalities (State Data).
The Section 2010 Motorcycle Safety application was successfully used for a public awareness media campaign “Look Twice, Save a Life” paid media campaign that started in April 2010 and has continued into CY2012. There were 87 motorcycle training courses taught that served 972 students statewide in FY2012.
To decrease unhelmeted motorcyclist fatalities 10 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 12 to 11 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 8; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: The average number unhelmeted motorcyclist fatalities between 2006-2010 was 14.
15 Youthful Drivers/Pedestrians
Youthful Drivers
To decrease the number of drivers age 20 or younger involved in fatal crashes 9 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 23 to 21 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 9; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: The average number of youthful drivers involved in fatal crashes decreased to 21 for calendar years 2006-2010.
Pedestrian Fatalities
To reduce pedestrian fatalities 20 percent from the 2005-2009 calendar base year average of 5 to 4 by December 31, 2012. [NHTSA/GHSA Core Measure 10; Data Source: FARS]
Progress Report: The average number of pedestrian fatalities for calendar years 2006-2010 declined to 4.
16 EXPENDITURE SYNOPSIS
17 18 19 20 21 22 ACCOMPLISHMENTS &
HIGHLIGHTS FY 2012 Accomplishments/Highlights of Highway Safety Efforts
FY 2012 highway safety efforts in Wyoming were focused on the program areas of Impaired Driving, Occupant Protection and Speed Enforcement. These program areas were supported by paid media, efforts of local and state law enforcement, efforts of safe communities’ coordinators and efforts of the Wyoming Seatbelt Coalition.
Accomplishments and Projects in Process
Executive Order 2011-7, signed by Governor Matthew H. Mead on September 16, 2011 created the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving in Wyoming. The Council commenced its work in January 2012. The Council is the successor to what was previously known as the Leadership Team to Prevent Impaired Driving under former Governor Dave Freudenthal. The Leadership Team produced in September 2010 its Strategic Plan to Reduce Impaired Driving in Wyoming. That plan included fifteen priority recommendations. Two of those recommendations were implemented in FY 2012 through Council support and/or action, namely: 1) DUI Policy Coordinator and 2) Media Campaign. The recommendation for the DUI Policy Coordinator is that the position be in the Governor’s Office and that the person filling the position “…coordinate state efforts with local initiatives to reduce impaired driving in Wyoming.” The media campaign recommendation is to “Develop a statewide, unified impaired driving prevention media campaign.”
At the Council’s meeting on April 26, 2012, Governor Mead introduced J. Michael Reed to the Council as the Governor’s Policy Analyst for impaired driving issues in Wyoming. Mike has worked in law enforcement for 24 years with 10 of those years being as the Chief of Police in the City of Rawlins, Wyoming. Mike has also served on several county and state boards, namely: Carbon County Child Development Center, Carbon County Counseling Center and the Memorial Hospital of Carbon County. Mike is a past recipient of Wyoming’s “Peace Officer of the Year” award.
At the Council’s initial meeting in January 2012 it established a media campaign subcommittee. That committee worked closely with WYDOT’s Engineering Services group through a consultant selection process culminating in the selection of Sukle Advertising, Denver, Colorado as the entity to head up the Council’s impaired driving media campaign. Governor Mead approved the selection. The contracting process between Sukle and WYDOT’s Engineering Services group concluded in late September 2012.
83% of male pickup truck drivers in Wyoming, ages 18 – 34, that were killed in crashes in 2011 were not buckled up. [Source: Wyoming’s 2011 Report on Traffic Crashes] Knowing of this statistic, Cody Beers, WYDOT Public Involvement Specialist, initiated in FY 2012 a “Buckle Up Tough Guy” campaign on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The campaign featured billboard ads of Native American males buckled up in pickup trucks. This campaign has also been replicated using the “Buckle Up Tough Guy” slogan by another tribal entity in the State of North Dakota. And, the “Buckle Up Tough Guy” campaign was also replicated by the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition through billboard ads featuring rodeo world champions, rodeo royalty and air force pilots (i.e. Thunderbirds) buckled up in pickup trucks. This latter effort was done in the City of Cheyenne in conjunction with Cheyenne Frontier Days July 20-29, 2012.
FY 2012 was the second year for increased funding and attention to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally campaign. Based on FARS data, during calendar year 2009 there were 13 motorcyclist crash fatalities in Wyoming. In calendar year 2010 that number increased to 33. [Fatality
23 number also based on FARS] In 2011 the number of motorcyclist fatalities in Wyoming decreased to 16. [Based on state data] As of November 21, 2012 there were 12 motorcyclist fatalities in calendar year 2012. [Based on state data] While these are not year-end statistics, the reduction to date from 2010 and 2011 is encouraging. The increased funding and attention for this campaign over the past two (2) years has involved media messaging, digital sign messaging and overtime grants for high visibility state and local law enforcement.
As of January 2012 the HSO completed the process of changing our seat belt messaging from “Click It Don’t’ Risk It” to NHTSA’s national tag line “Click It or Ticket.” We transitioned our messaging to “Don’t Risk It – Click It or Ticket.” This stronger messaging is consistent with the goals of the Wyoming Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies to write citations for persons who are found to be not buckled up during probable cause stops.
Challenges
1) Impaired Driving – Approximately 1/3 of all persons arrested in Wyoming in 2011* were for impaired driving. [Alcohol and Crime in Wyoming 2011, Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police, page 5] The average reported blood alcohol content for 609 people arrested for DUI after being involved in a traffic crash was 0.1685 [Ibid, page 5] In Wyoming, a person driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 is legally presumed to be impaired. [Ibid, page 5] 35 of Wyoming’s 135 crash fatalities in 2011 were alcohol involved fatalities. [Source: WYDOT Driver Services] More work remains to convince motorists in Wyoming to not drink and drive.
*2012 data was not available as of the printing of this Annual Report.
2) Seat Belt Usage – The results Wyoming’s 2012 Survey of Seat Belt Use indicate that 77% percent of all vehicle occupants were belted. Drivers and passengers in vehicles registered outside of Wyoming had a much higher rate of seat belt use, at 86.3%, than did their counterparts in vehicles registered in Wyoming, with a seat belt use rate of 72.2%. The protocols implemented in 2012 were in accordance with new federal guidelines which distinguish the 2012 survey from all prior surveys of seat belt use in Wyoming. Consequently, the 2012 survey analysis becomes the new baseline survey for seat belt use in Wyoming. Of Wyoming’s 135 crash fatalities in 2011*, 63% were not wearing their seat belts. More work remains to be done to persuade motorists to buckle up to protect themselves in the event of a traffic crash. A primary seat belt law in Wyoming would increase seat belt use and save lives. [Source: Survey of Seat Belt Use, Wyoming 2012, conducted by WYDOT contracted consultant DLN Consulting, Inc.]
*2012 data for these categories was not available as of the printing of this Annual Report.
3) Speed – In 2011 speed related crashes were represented in 60% of fatal crashes and in 38% of all Wyoming traffic crashes. [Source: WYDOT FY 2013 Problem Identification] These numbers represent significant percentage increases over 2010 with 42.3% of fatal crashes being speed related and 22.6% of all Wyoming traffic crashes being speed . related. The five (5) year average for years 2007 – 2011 tempers last year’s spikes.
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4) Law Enforcement – Many Wyoming law enforcement agencies struggle to maintain full staffing. These agencies are at a competitive disadvantage with salary and benefits packages offered by Wyoming’s energy industry. As a result, law enforcement agencies are often faced with requiring personnel to work longer hours for coverage. Often, this involves twelve (12) hour shifts. In turn, officers working these shifts are faced with striking the balance between necessary time off to recharge versus working HSO administered overtime grants to supplement their income. The impact to the HSO is that significant dollar amounts of funding for both local and state overtime enforcement grants were relinquished at the end of FY 2012.
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PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION Planning and Administration
Total Expenditures
402 Funds $60,984.71
Achievements
The Highway Safety Office (HSO) participated in Transportation Safety Institute (TSI) training for Occupant Protection, Program Management and Managing Federal Finances. The training provided a current picture of the regulations for each grant and how, as program managers, the staff should assist the grantee to fulfill these requirements. Topics, such as documentation, timekeeping, types of funds, monitoring, etc. were discussed. Each staff member became more familiar with the criteria for each type of funds, allowable and unallowable costs, how to use the many resources available to seek and find answers to funding questions.
The Highway Safety Program Supervisor traveled to Jackson, Wyoming to the Conference of Circuit Court Judges to present with Judge Mary Celeste on the Judicial Outreach Liaison (JOL) position. The presentation was successful with two judges initially interested in the position. Unfortunately, both judges later withdrew their applications and the JOL position was not filled in FY2012.
The HSO staff attended the two Regional Meetings, the autumn meeting in Lakewood, Colorado and the Spring meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada where projects were shared with networking of counterparts in the other states. Three members of the HSO attended the Lifesavers Conference in Orlando, Florida with other subgrantees to learn, network and share programs from Wyoming with other state participants.
The Highway Safety Office (HSO) took seat belt, alcohol and distracted driving messaging to the 100th Wyoming State Fair in Douglas, Wyoming from August 11-18, 2012. The HSO partnered with the CLICK Program, Fremont County Injury Prevention Resources (IPR) and Solutions for Life to provide coverage and education with the booth.
IPR brought a driving simulator which was a huge draw, especially with adolescent soon-to-be or new drivers. The simulator mimic’s real life driving scenarios related to speeding, distraction and occupant protection. Young children were drawn to NHTSA’s “Chuggington” Activity Booklet. Interest in NHTSA’s “Chuggington” Activity Booklet included elementary and preschool teachers and the Girl Scouts (ie: Daisy group leaders statewide).
Future Strategies
The HSO plans to implement in FY13 a new policy related to the purchase of incentive items by subgrantees. The HSO will work with stakeholders for the planning and implementation of the FY2014 Highway Safety Plan.
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PROGRAM SUMMARIES:
Impaired Driving Occupant Protection Speed Enforcement Paid Media Traffic Records Motorcycle Safety Impaired Driving
Total Expenditures
410 Funds $627,411.80 154AL/PM $951,507.22
Achievements
• The Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving created in September 2011, was active throughout FY2012. • The Council met in January, April and August and established numerous subcommittees and considered various initiatives. Details follow under “Key Projects.” • Governor Matthew H. Mead selected J. Michael Reed in FY2012 to be his Policy Analyst on Impaired Driving.
Key Projects
Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving – FY2012
On September 16, 2011 Governor Matthew H. Mead created a new Council on Impaired Driving by Executive Order 2011-7. The members appointed to this Council were charged with implementing selected recommendations contained in the “Strategic Plan to Reduce Impaired Driving in Wyoming” which was produced by Governor Freudenthal’s Leadership Team in September, 2010. Specifically, the Council will: 1) serve as a forum for research, discussion, and planning to reduce the incidence of impaired driving in Wyoming; 2) identify priority issues and prevention strategies related to impaired driving; 3) develop plans to implement strategies, including implementing the multi-agency Strategic Plan to Reduce Impaired Driving in Wyoming; 4) recommend content and timing of public awareness and education efforts related to impaired driving; and 5) report to the Governor.
The first order of business was to assist the Governor’s Office in the selection and appointment of Wyoming citizens to the Council. By Executive Order the members of the Council were to include both government and private sector members. The process of selecting and appointing Council members was completed in November 2012. Governor Mead selected Rich Adriaens - Chief of Police in Sheridan, Wyoming and Mike Blonigen - District Attorney in Natrona County to be Co-chairs for the Council. The Council currently includes representatives from the following entities: Department of Transportation (Highway Safety Office, Public Affairs, Support Services), Department of Health (Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Division, Chemical Testing Laboratory), Department of Revenue (Liquor Division), Department of Family Services, Wyoming Judiciary, Office of the Attorney General, Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Wyoming County and Prosecuting Attorney Association, State Public Defenders Office, Victim Services Division, Safe Communities, Prevention Advocates, Private/Public Substance Abuse Treatment Providers, Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, County Coroners, Local Government, the Wind River Indian Reservation, private citizens and the Governor’s Office.
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The Council held three meetings during FY2012, during which initiatives were selected and prioritized, and sub-committees were created to carry-on the work of the Council in between meetings. All Council meetings have been well attended and Council members have been actively involved in setting the Council’s agenda and selecting initiatives for implementation. The sub-committees have been particularly active and quite successful in accomplishing the Council’s priority initiatives. The Council sub-committees and initiatives to date are:
1. Governor’s Policy Analyst on Impaired Driving – subcommittee researched and provided a job description, duties and responsibilities for the new position. Governor Mead hired Mike Reed (retired Chief of Police from Rawlins, Wyoming) and he began work on June 1, 2012. The work scope and list of duties and responsibilities developed by the subcommittee were accepted and adopted by the Governor’s Office. This subcommittee was discharged after the work was accomplished and the Governor’s Policy Analyst hired.
2. Media Campaign – this subcommittee was charged with assisting the Highway Safety Office in selecting a media consulting firm to develop an eighteen-month media campaign in support of the Council’s efforts and initiatives. This group assisted WYDOT Engineering Services in setting the criteria for selecting the consulting firm, was involved in the evaluation of the media firms that applied and recommending a firm to the Governor and WYDOT Engineering Services. Sukle Advertising and Design was selected and the contract has been finalized. Sukle is scheduled to begin work in October and the initial media campaign contracted to continue through May 2014. The Media Campaign subcommittee will continue to be involved throughout the life of this initiative.
3. DUI Supervision – all Council members agreed that additional effort was needed in this area. The subcommittee has been quite active in researching and supporting efforts to establish a testing/supervision program for pre-trial release and for convicted DUI offenders on probation that is modeled after the highly successful 24/7 Sobriety Project in South Dakota. The Wyoming Attorney General has made this initiative a priority of his office. Presentations have been made to the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police, the state’s circuit court judges and the interim joint judiciary committees of the Wyoming Legislature. Currently the Council is providing support for three communities that have expressed interest in establishing a pilot site. The three communities are: Laramie and Albany counties, and the City of Casper – which is in the process of establishing an Alcohol Municipal Court for the city. Work will continue during the next fiscal year.
4. Statewide Conference – this subcommittee was charged with recommending whether the Council should host such a conference, deciding who the target audience would be, subject matter, time and location. The Council has decided to host a conference and to
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target state and local policymakers for the initial offering. Work will continue during the next fiscal year.
5. Enhanced Enforcement Initiative – a review of the alcohol-involved crashes in Wyoming clearly indicate that the highest number of crashes are occurring in six to eight counties. They are (in descending order): Natrona, Laramie, Sweetwater, Campbell, Fremont, Albany, Sheridan and Carbon. The Council has voted to initiate and support an enhanced enforcement initiative in those counties. The Highway Safety Office has tentatively agreed to provide grant funding to support a concentrated and coordinated effort in those selected counties. Work has begun and will continue into the next fiscal year.
6. Data and Evaluation – the Council has reviewed the crash statistics in Wyoming and has started the process of instituting a process for setting a reasonable goal and evaluating Council initiatives. The subcommittee is in the process of working with a select group of Wyoming epidemiologists and statisticians. Work has begun and will continue into the next fiscal year.
Policy Analyst on Impaired Driving
Multiple communities, councils, task forces, agencies, organizations and programs are working to address alcohol issues and reduce impaired driving in Wyoming. Many initiatives cut across state agencies (Departments of: Transportation, Health, Family Services, Corrections, Education, Revenue, etc.), and many funding opportunities require partnerships between various state and local agencies. Yet, because many programs work independently of each other, resources are frequently duplicated, funding opportunities are often missed, messages and timing are confused, resulting in an overall reduction in the effectiveness of the initiatives. Maximum and sustained reductions in impaired driving cannot be realized without coordinated efforts.
A Policy Analyst on Impaired Driving position has been developed with a comprehensive job description to address these objectives:
1. Collaborate with the Governor, Impaired Driving Council, and Highway Safety Office to establish priorities,
2. Be a liaison between the Governors Council and Governor’s Office,
3. Provide the Governor with an annual State-of-the State report concerning current statewide impaired driving issues,
4. Train/Educate-law enforcement, judicial, prosecutors, liquor license holders/industry representatives,
5. Liaison with Industry, Stakeholders and Community Leaders,
6. Identify Gaps in State of Wyoming Policies,
7. Research best practices for State agencies,
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8. Evaluate the impact of impaired driving legislative policy on state agencies and highway safety,
9. Research/propose a plan to reduce the cumulative cost to the State concerning impaired driving.
The position of Policy Analyst on Impaired Driving is the product of two gubernatorial administrations and years of planning. The main objective of this position is the reduction in impaired driving fatalities for the State of Wyoming. The fact Wyoming is such a sparsely populated state makes this even more important since the likelihood of having a connection with the victims of this most preventable of crimes is much greater and personal.
Law Enforcement Coordinator
Johnson and Associates was contracted by the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police to administer and coordinate the Law Enforcement Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grants program for FY2012. The Highway Safety Office had contracted with Johnson and Associates directly to provide these project services previously. The transition in grants management and coordination continued to be “seamless” and accomplished without confusion or additional paperwork for grantee agencies. Overall, the year proved to be successful in terms of continuing to streamline the overall grants administration process, for enhancing the coordination of law enforcement activities in the state and for having traffic safety become a priority concern for law enforcement administrators statewide.
A number of changes that were instituted during the previous fiscal year continued to be refined and improved upon during this year – specifically, in the grant application process, the reporting of grant activity and the process for reimbursement. The grant requirements and objectives have also been strengthened and the wording refined during the course of the last two years. The Traffic Safety Committee of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP) has continued to assume a greater role and responsibility for the administration and coordination of the highway safety grants program. More effective use of highway safety grant funds by Wyoming’s law enforcement community has been, and will continue to be, a priority focus for the Traffic Safety Committee.
Towards that end, the Committee has instituted evaluation criteria for all grantee agencies that now include productivity and local traffic crash data in the analysis. This combined evaluation criteria is being used by the Traffic Safety Committee in the process of making decisions relative to an agency’s grant eligibility status. The Committee devised a new grant funding formula for awarding grant funds the previous year. The funding formula that has been implemented by the Committee is problem-based and data driven. The new formula was used in awarding FY2012. The formula is currently under review for FY2013 grant funds.
Considerable effort continued this year towards having WASCOP accept a greater role in directing and coordinating Wyoming’s law enforcement’s traffic safety
30 statewide activities. The Highway Safety Office, Johnson and Associates staff and the Executive Board for WASCOP continue to identify and resolve grant administration and coordination issues and concerns.
Specifically, the following targeted administration and coordination objectives were accomplished during FY2012:
1. Establishing traffic safety as a priority concern statewide among Wyoming law enforcement administrators – by the creation of and regular meetings conducted by the Standing Committee on Traffic Safety for the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police.
2. Working towards making Wyoming law enforcement’s use of highway safety grant funds more effective in the future – by having WASCOP provide critical input and agreeing to be more involved in the decision-making process for evaluating grantee agency performance; and by WASCOP devising and implementing a more effective/equitable formula for awarding highways safety grant funds.
3. Grant applications continue to be consolidated with relatively few complications.
4. Conversion to an events-based focus for all grant enforcement activities was well received by the law enforcement agencies during the previous year and has now become institutionalized. Grant funded law enforcement activities are now more focused and effective.
5. The activity reporting system that allows reports to be submitted electronically is now being used by all grantee agencies without issues.
6. Communication, interaction and records documentation among and with department personnel continue to be facilitated by the online project management sites that have been created for individual departments and for the Grants Network. Departments are now quite familiar with the system and more apt use the sites more readily.
7. Additional grant funds were provided to all grantee agencies impacted by the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally again this year. Representatives from the agencies that participated attended a meeting where the grant requirements were explained and media materials distributed. Agencies did a great job of distributing the posters and got additional media through news articles and letters to the editors. Plans are underway to replicate this effort statewide again next year.
8. Johnson and Associates staff assumed the responsibility to ensure fiscal accuracy and grant activity reporting for this year. This added responsibility was critical for WASCOP to agree to assume these fiscal responsibilities.
9. The grants coordinator provided assistance to a number of agencies by phone, email and on-site visits. The law enforcement grants manager and coordinator were also very visible, available and promoted the value of the law enforcement highway safety grants program at a number of law enforcement conferences during this year.
10. Formal audits of three departments were also conducted by the coordinator and the law enforcement grants manager. All agencies audited performed well.
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11. Efforts to refine and improve the process for reporting grant activity electronically continued throughout the year. Most “bugs” have now been eliminated or minimized.
12. Staff continued to review all documents for completeness and accuracy before they were submitted to the Highway Safety Office for final processing. This additional task helped to ensure that the records were more accurate or reliable - and the processing of these reports more efficient.
13. Agencies have now become accustomed to Johnson and Associates staff administering the grants process and handling the coordination of law enforcement highway safety grant activities on behalf of the Highway Safety Office and WASCOP.
14. A detailed reporting system of all data collected has now been implemented. Events are summarized, as well as individualized in the reports to facilitate better analysis. Crash data is aggregated along with grantee’s productivity for comparison from year to year. All reports have been submitted to the Highway Safety Office in PDF format.
Traffic Safety Committee
The Traffic Safety Committee was established as a standing committee by the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police. The committee was created specifically to address issues related to the Wyoming Department of Transportation Highway Safety grants and their partnership with Wyoming law enforcement agencies. The group provides grant oversight from a law enforcement perspective, provides input specific to highway safety funding and serves as the primary means by which the membership can address emerging traffic safety concerns. The Committee met three times during this fiscal year.
Initially the group tackled essential issues such as the grant funding formula, grant requirements, media distribution, etc. As in past years, the committee reviewed the 2013 grant applications and evaluated funding levels, productivity, and the agencies “track record” for reporting and meeting submission guidelines. Decisions were made relative to supplemental funding requested beyond the initial grant application. Video, PBT, and Radar equipment requests are also evaluated by the committee based on prior requests and those agencies that are replacing or purchasing new equipment. Primarily those with greatest need are given priority.
The committee members play an active role in the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving, continue to provide input on the Report Beam Crash Data system, and assist in statewide media coordination of scheduled national highway safety events. The information sharing and communication between the Highway Safety Office and the WASCOP Traffic Safety Committee
32 has alleviated many issues and opened doors for partnerships in many venues related to Highway Safety.
City of Laramie DRE Training
The sixth Drug Recognition Expert Preliminary School and Basic school was completed in Laramie. The training included two alcohol workshops for the 14 Wyoming students from 11 different agencies. All students passed the field certification portion of the training in Laramie. Field evaluations were conducted at the Maricopa County Jail with assistance from DRE Instructors in the Phoenix area. All students passed the field certification training. There are now 92 certified DRE’s around the state. They have all been trained to enter evaluations on the DRE Evaluation Tracking Website. Eight-five percent are current with their entries.
Since October 1, 2011, the DRE’s have completed 192 Training Evaluations and 140 Enforcement Evaluations. Since the inception of the program, Wyoming DRE’s have entered a total of 851 training evaluations and 655 enforcement evaluations with an overall 81.09% of the evaluations supported by toxicology. With the success of the program, a DRE class is planned every even year and to hold a training conference to accommodate recertification requirements every odd year.
Alcohol Factors
In 2011, data was collected from 19,003 persons who were arrested and subsequently detained in detention facilities in Wyoming. This data is the only comprehensive, statistically based analysis of the impact of alcohol on crime in Wyoming. Alcohol continues to be a major factor whenever a person is arrested. The percentage of arrests involving a DUI was at 32.06% and the average blood alcohol content was a staggering 0.1545. BAC levels in 46% of persons arrested for DUI was above 0.16 and 8% had a BAC of 0.24 or greater. The age group (in 5 year increments) with the highest percentage of DUI arrests were ages 21-25 (19%), followed by age 26-30 (16%) and 31-35 (11%).
There was a concerted effort this fiscal year to make community leaders more aware of the growing concerns of alcohol abuse – and its impact on crime and traffic crashes in Wyoming communities. A Policymaker Forum was conducted in Fremont County where mayors, council persons, county commissioners, legislators and community leaders were presented with statewide and community statistics about the impact of substance abuse on crime. The presentation also included discussions about what local community leaders could do to respond to the growing concerns. Forums have been conducted in Natrona, Laramie, Albany and Sweetwater counties during the previous year. Additional forums are being planned and will be conducted during FY2013.
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Standardized Field Sobriety Testing
Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) Trainer Course was hosted by the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy on February 6-10, 2012. The 40 hour SFST Instructor Trainer course was attended by 21 officers and wardens from around the State representing the Bairoil, Basin, Casper, Lander, Lovell and the University of Wyoming Police Departments; Johnson, Sheridan, Sublette and Weston County Sheriffs Offices and the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Officers found the SFST’s fully-acceptable for field use and appreciated the diagnostic value of test results. An officer receives 40 POST hours. The SFST Instructor Trainer Course was presented by an adjunct cadre of instructors to include: Lt. Jonlee Anderle of the Laramie Police Department, Trooper Matt Arnell and Lt. Nate Hughes of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.
Wyoming Chemical Testing Program - Training and Equipment
Upon request, the Department of Health, Chemical Testing Program (WCTP) assists the HSO by selecting sites in need of stationary alcohol testing devices, configuration, calibration, repairs and training. Accessories were purchased to allow WCTP staff to access equipment remotely
The HSO also provided funding for WCTP staff to attend the Intoximeters User Group formed by Intoximeters Inc. as a technical resource for agencies using their instrumentation. The purpose of the group meeting is to share information on new advances in technology and problems encountered in the detection and prosecution of alcohol impaired drivers.
The Intoximeters Users Group Technical Meeting was held in Wilmington, NC from August 12- 15, 2012. The workshops were hands-on type instruction to update maintenance and repair procedures to minimize downtime of instruments. The software update included development of new queries to retrieve data for use in court cases. The beneficial impact of the meeting will allow a more efficient production of a legally defensible product by the WCTP. The WCTP will be able to decrease instrument downtime by performing additional procedures in house rather than shipping all repairs to the factory.
The training extended to the International Association for Chemical Testing Conference in April 2012. Topics included effects and metabolism of alcohol in relation to breath testing: differing conditions of the body, the environment that the body may be in, and how that may affect the readings of breath alcohol instruments to court cases affecting the issue of the rights of the accused to confront those people who would testify against them. Moss Kent stated the following, “the knowledge imparted at the IACT Conference sessions will translate directly into addressing the problems in Wyoming associated with drunken driving”.
Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor
The 2011 DUI law allows for police officers to request an electronic warrant when, upon probable cause, a suspect has refused to take a chemical test to determine his or her BAC. Most law enforcement agencies have mastered the electronic warrant requirements and know
34 the process for requesting a warrant. Most judges across the state also have a procedure in place for requesting electronic warrants, particularly late at night and on weekends.
The biggest issues of concern relates to involuntary blood draws. Specifically, if a suspect refuses to take a breath test and the officer then is able to obtain a signed warrant from a judge, can the officer force a blood draw? The quick answer is “yes.” If a suspect is uncooperative or even violent, it poses a risk to law enforcement and medical personnel who may be attempting the blood draw.
Due to receiving blood draw questions regularly over the course of the last year, the TSRP reached out to other prosecutors in an attempt to determine how each county was handling these issues. There is a general consensus among prosecutors that they are advising law enforcement that if the suspect becomes violent during a blood draw, that they discontinue the procedure and charge the suspect with interference. An interference charge carries with it potentially greater penalties than a DUI. Judges are also typically harder on defendants who have refused to get a blood draw despite the judge having signed off on a warrant.
As each department becomes more accustomed to Wyoming’s 2011 DUI law, it is possible within the next couple of years that every jail will be equipped with a padded restraint chair and have on-call medical staff ready to perform blood draws 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
The TSRP prepared a document called DUI BASICS. DUI BASICS covered all the main areas of DUI including how a person can be convicted of DUI, penalties, driver’s license suspension, ignition interlock devices, etc. The DUI BASICS packet was handed out to prosecutors at the annual prosecutor’s convention in Jackson, Wyoming with positive feedback so a link was placed on the TSRP website. DUI BASICS document has been improved by adding new categories including how to get a suspended license reinstated and adding case law to support each listed statute plus with slight modifications for law enforcement.
A monthly newsletter focuses on topics relevant to prosecutors and law enforcement. Much of the material made available is by NHTSA the NDAA and the National Traffic Law Center. Most of the newsletters during this last year were focused exclusive on DUI. After attending a conference in Alameda, Colorado with Colorado’s TSRP which consisted of a detailed review of the SFST’s and how they came about the newsletters were refocused on teaching prosecutors the basics of SFSTs. The first article focused on the importance of the SFSTs as well as the history of the science behind the SFSTs. The second article focused on the first of the three standardized field sobriety tests, horizontal gaze nystagmus or HGN. The third article focused on the other two SFSTs the walk and turn and one leg stand. Each of these articles also focused on the statistical success of these tests and can be
35 found at www.wyomingtsrp.com.
The brief bank is a project that has been in the works for a long period of time. The Wyoming Association of Prosecutors (“Association”) spent Association funds on a program called Wikidot. The idea behind Wikidot was that it could host a secure prosecutor’s website that would allow prosecutors access to confidential briefs. After spending several hours working on the brief bank, several problems were discovered. It was agreed that Wikidot was unusable and so was tasked with finding a new program suitable for the needs of the Association. A new secure website should be up and running by November, 2012. The website will have a large section on DUI law with solicited DUI briefs including motions and response motions from county attorney offices.
Presentations available for presentation are: 1. COPS IN COURT which is a training program that was developed by NHTSA and the Traffic Law Center. 2. Wyoming Search and Seizure law (Part 1 & 2) focused on Wyoming’s general rules as they relate to the fourth amendment which protects citizens against unlawful searches and seizures. 3. Standardized Field Sobriety Tests which involved using a law enforcement officer who is trained in the SFSTs and a handful of volunteers were used to actually take the tests while the rest of the class observed. 4. “The Top 20 Tips for DUI Cases.”
Requests from prosecutors require research issues such as the new DUI LAW, Breathalyzer tests, retrograde extrapolation, search and seizure issues, chain of custody concerns, etc. There are also regular questions regarding possible issues on appeal and what is legally considered possession of a vehicle for purposes of a DUI. Communicate regularly with County Attorney’s using the County Attorney Listserv, on the federal TSRP Listserv which is a Listserv for TSRP’s from around the country as well as representatives from the National Association of District Attorneys. Using this Listserv provides information about expert witnesses, briefs, and other traffic safety issues facing the nation and the state of Wyoming. The TSRP position is a great resource for the state of Wyoming and will continue to benefit the hard working men and women of Wyoming who fight the ongoing problems of DUI and Traffic Safety Violations.
DUI Supervised Probation on the Reservation
On August 2nd, Injury Prevention Resources met with the Northern Arapahoe Tribal Council in an effort to obtain a facility to conduct BAC’s. The tribal council was ecstatic about the plan and offered Injury Prevention Resources a place to conduct BAC’s at no charge.
Injury Prevention Resources hired a staff member to conduct BAC’s on the Wind River Indian Reservation starting September 4, 2012. The staff member was trained on usage of the machine and essential job functions to assure the use of proper techniques when dealing with clients. Flyers were made and distributed to probation agents and courts to assure that they were aware of the services provided. Ads were placed in the Riverton Ranger and the Wind River newspapers to inform the public about the program. The operating hours of
36 this facility are from 7-9 am and 7-9 pm 7 days a week in order to assure there is a 12 hour period between BACs, giving a decreased chance of BACs being cheated by clients. More information was distributed to the Court Assisted Supervised Treatment (CAST) program in Fremont County, Judge Robert B. Denhardt, the Northern Arapahoe Tribal Council, the White Buffalo Treatment Center, Eastern Shoshone Recovery and the proper entities at Probation and Parole on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Eight individual clients have been served in the month of September, the program’s first month of operation. IPR will continue its outreach and education of this program, keeping mindful that word of mouth is one of the best ways of spreading information on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
IPR DUI Monitoring
The DUI Monitoring program continued to expand during FY 2012. An increasing amount of knowledge about scram capabilities has been gained through IPR’s new DUI Monitoring Agent. The training and attendance of ScramX’s conference proved to be valuable though increasing knowledge about the program, thus allowing each client to be properly educated about how the bracelet works and allowable and unallowable activity while wearing a scram bracelet. This has helped IPR to not only be sure that all employees are up to speed on the bracelet’s operation, but it has also helped to mold some of the procedures within IPR. IPR has walked through all allowable products and what to avoid while wearing a ScramX bracelet with each client upon intake, assuring they are educated and clear expectations are established.
Through FY2012, the DUI Monitoring Program served 54 total clients in Fremont County with a compliance rate of 80%. Many of our exit surveys have statements from clients explaining that they appreciated the level of accountability and that they were not able to cheat their way through the BAC test. Clients consistently identified positive changes in their personal lives because the level of accountability assisted them in refraining from alcohol use. The DUI Monitoring Program has allowed numerous DUI offenders to retain employment by avoiding the hardship on their employer that 60 days of BACS morning and night would have created. The program has also allowed workers in the oil and gas industry to continue employment in areas where BAC testing is unavailable.
DUI Monitoring has played an instrumental role in efforts to change the approach to DUI offenders and to assure Probation and Parole and Fremont County Courts have an alternative to placing offenders in jail for non-compliance with their probationary terms.
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WHP DUI Education
In 2012, the grant allowed overtime for troopers to go into the community, public schools and various health and safety fairs to educate people about the dangers of impaired driving. In order to assist the troopers in educating the public, the grant provided overtime to troopers to reach more people without sacrificing public safety by reducing the amount of troopers patrolling our roadways. The educational efforts are increasing with an increase in community awareness.
The golf cart used for impaired driving simulations continues to be a great success. The drivers of the golf cart were given the opportunity to drive the cart with and without Fatal Vision goggles. Without fail, the driver would show poor driving skills with the use of the Fatal Vision goggles. The golf cart was used numerous times throughout the year and is very popular. The golf cart was found to be useful in educating drivers to the dangers of “Texting” and driving. The grant paid for travel expenses for troopers to give DUI Education training throughout the state. New fatal vision goggles were purchased for each division. Troopers worked with other safety minded organizations utilizing the Fatal Vision goggles presenting at schools and health fairs to educate about the dangers of impaired driving.
WHP provided public service announcements to each division to perform on local radio broadcasts about the “Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately” and Impaired Driving program in combination with the August Crackdown. Incentive items were purchased to go with the safety education talks. Some of the incentive items purchased includes pens, key fobs, plastic badges, note pads, key chains, and stickers. Award plaques were purchased to recognize the top DUI enforcement division in each district during the Labor Day Mobilization.
A total of 62,890 people received an educational message from troopers and WHP staff on the effects of impaired driving and seat belt use across the state. This tremendous effort required 968 man hours in WHP’s ongoing efforts to decrease impaired driving and reducing fatalities in Wyoming.
Federal grant funding to WHP provides manpower and supplies to help WHP get into the communities and schools to educate people on the devastating consequences of impaired driving. WHP will continue its efforts in educating the public on all of the safety issues that are claiming the lives of the motoring public.
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Impediments to Achievements
• Limited funding for dedicated DUI Courts • Limited time of Legislative sessions in which to enact comprehensive DUI laws (Rotating annual legislative sessions, 40 day general session year followed by a 20 day budget annual legislative session) • Limited citation and adjudication data availability • No combined municipal/county prosecutor association
Future Strategies
• Continue to fund the Wyoming Prosecutor’s Association Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor until permanent funding is available • Assist the work of the new Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving in its mission and in its consideration of the “Strategic Plan to Reduce Impaired Driving in Wyoming – 2010” • Serve as a resource for both the DUI Policy Advisor and the newly selected DUI Media Contractor • Work with the Law Enforcement Media Coordinators to help get the impaired driving message out locally throughout the year • Continue the WASCOP Traffic Safety Committee to address traffic safety enforcement and productivity
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Occupant Protection
Total Expenditures 402 Funds $1,029,371.23 405 Funds $ 127,466.40
Achievements • Wyoming along with the other states in Region 8 utilized the new NHTSA methodology for its FY2012 Seat Belt Survey • The percentage of unbelted fatalities has decreased over the past three (3) from 70.5% in 2009 to 67.9% in 2010 to 64.9% in 2011
Key Projects:
“Alive At 25”/ Occupant Protection Education
Currently in Wyoming there continues to be a high number of people dying on our roadways who were not properly using seatbelts. This grant funds the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) administration of special safety education efforts across the state utilizing overtime for troopers to teach the “Alive At 25” and Occupant Restraint classes. This grant is also utilized to conduct Child Passenger Safety events and to use media outlets to promote the programs.
During the 2012 fiscal year grant period, troopers instructed 64 “Alive At 25” classes with over 1,077 students attending. The program is approved curriculum to be used in any Driver Education program in the state. Many of the Wyoming Driver Education instructors have taken advantage of “Alive At 25” training. Courts are utilizing the program as a tool when sentencing young drivers. This year five additional troopers were trained as “Alive At 25” instructors. Multiple “Alive At 25” instructors, and administrators attended the “Alive At 25” Banquet in Denver to recognize the two ‘Instructors of the Year’ for Wyoming who were Troopers Tonya Dove and Gabrial Testerman.
WHP continually promotes the “Alive At 25” program throughout Wyoming by utilizing radio, theater, print, and newspaper advertising. The media portion of the grant has a tremendous impact on the program. WHP has provided public service announcements to each division to perform on local radio broadcasts, and purchased several incentive items to go with the safety education talks, and the “Alive At 25” program. WHP purchased incentive T-shirts and ticket book holders for May Mobilization to recognize the top enforcement division. 40
The grant also paid for travel expenses for troopers to attend safety education workshops. Attending these workshops helps WHP in understanding how other agencies and organizations are achieving increases in seat belt and child restraint usage in their jurisdictions. The grant further paid for the training of 2 new certified Child Passenger Safety Seat Technicians (CPSS). Funds were provided for troopers to attend CPS updates and training provided by Highway Safety and Safe Kids of Wyoming. WHP provided over 150 child restraints to the public this year.
The Seat Belt Convincers made a strong showing again around the state. The crash vehicles also were used throughout the state. The rollover machines have been used around the state as well. The golf cart was utilized with distracted driving element which included discussion on the importance of seat belt use. The little convincers were utilized not by troopers but by safety minded organizations as well.
WHP is committed to providing highway safety education to all. During FY2012 troopers attended 350 safety events spending 968 man-hours educating/informing 62,890 people to the dangers faced on Wyoming’s roadways.
In summary, federal grant funding helped WHP get into Wyoming’s communities and schools to talk with and educate on correct seat belt and child restraint usage. WHP will continue its efforts in educating everyone in Wyoming on correct seatbelt and child restraint usage. WHP will incorporate new ideas and updates that will persuade more people into buckling up.
Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition
The Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition made significant strides this year in becoming more visible and effective in its efforts to bring the concern for the number of unbelted drivers in Wyoming to the public’s attention. The Coalition membership continues to grow and stay active and has expanded its membership by including key members from the private sector – oil, gas, energy and transportation.
The membership meets twice during the year and works on initiatives throughout the year by participating in regularly scheduled work group conference call meetings. The Coalition also created a Work Group – specifically focusing on workplace safety. Historically, Wyoming industry employers have focused their safety efforts on the jobsite rather than when workers
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were traveling during job related activities. Statistics show a large portion of workplace fatalities were while employees were traveling unrestrained in company vehicles. Recognizing this trend, the Coalition has partnered with employers who have seen the largest impact from workplace injuries and fatalities (ie oil and gas industry). In a collaborative effort between industry and the Coalition, shared resources, ideas and knowledge have potential for a positive shift in addressing workplace roadway injuries and fatalities.
The primary focus of the Coalition’s efforts earlier this year was to become more visible and to increase awareness in the state. An assortment of informational brochures, posters and fact sheets were produced and disseminated in a variety of forums and conferences this year. The Coalition’s public website which was developed in the previous year continues to be refined, expanded and updated weekly. The Coalition’s Marketing Workgroup was exceptionally productive throughout the year with campaigns targeting our non-seat belt wearing demographic.
The Coalition was successful in becoming more visible and is becoming recognized as a resource for state and local community efforts. The Coalition has begun the process of developing a more effective work plan for future initiatives. WYDOT contracted with Johnson and Association to conduct a management review of the Coalition’s goals, objectives and initiatives.
Specifically, some of the successes this year include:
1. The development of a work plan and project objectives that is more in alignment with the recommendations contained in the Management Review of the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition’s initiatives. The series of recommendations helped to identify a more appropriate role for the Coalition members and focused their efforts more effectively. 2. Increased membership and participation by Wyoming law enforcement and various segments of the private sector. 3. Increased awareness among key state policymakers: the hiring and involvement of the State Occupational Epidemiologist – who is now an active member of the Coalition; increased public awareness with continuing public discussions relative to enacting stronger legislation in the future. 4. Increased educational efforts targeting the general public: maintaining and launching of the Coalition’s public website; creating and disseminating up-to-date informational brochures and fact sheets at numerous conferences, health fairs and training sessions; creating and disseminating awareness posters throughout the state; presentations by members at a variety of forums and venues. 5. The creation of a Coalition window cling which is being placed in the window of every emergency vehicle in the state. A smaller version is being handed out by many law enforcement officers during their traffic stops.
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6. The creation and distribution of a Coalition street sign which continues to be placed at more of the exits of high school parking lots across the state. 7. Provided financial support for the Jr. High Project where students become involved and more aware of the importance of wearing seatbelts – four communities participated this year. 8. Provided financial support for two “Tough Guy” media campaigns: one during Cheyenne Frontier Days; the other in Sweetwater County during the National High School Rodeo Finals. 9. Continuing to work in a collaborative effort to develop a statewide strategic plan – and a work plan for implementing a series of Coalition initiatives during the coming year.
Safe Communities Coordination
The consulting firm of Johnson & Associates coordinated the activities of four county based safe community programs which had been established the previous year. They were Natrona, Laramie, Albany and Fremont counties. The Highway Safety Office (HSO) has since reorganized the safe communities into two regional programs, Natrona and Laramie County. These regional programs now serve four (4) counties each. The project manager and the HSO staff met with the regional safe community coordinators to facilitate a more coordinated effort with the designated highway safety media coordinators in their assigned counties.
Johnson and Associates was tasked with accomplishing the following objectives: 1. To effectively coordinate the traffic safety initiatives of the four current Safe Communities; 2. To work with the Highway Safety Office to strengthen fiscal accountability and program oversight for each participating coalition; and 3. To increase efforts to work collaboratively with law enforcement and other local and state groups working on traffic safety issues.
The project manager worked with the safe community coordinators and with HSO staff to implement a more effective process and procedure for tracking and submitting reports for hours worked, for reimbursement of project related expenditures, and for submitting monthly reports. In addition, the project manager created individual project management sites online, as well as a safe community site for use by all coordinators and staff. All grant documents, reimbursement vouchers and monthly reports have been uploaded to their individual sites.
The project manager provided an orientation to the safe community coordinators about the highway safety media coordinators project, provided access to their project management site and invited them to attend all their meetings throughout the year. This has resulted in better coordination with law enforcement for all safe communities’ prevention efforts and initiatives. Efforts of the two (2) regional safe community programs in FY2013 will be focused on May Mobilization, August Crackdown and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. These efforts will be coordinated with the highway safety media coordinators, the CLICK program and local governmental education officials.
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‘CLICK’ – Laramie County School District #1– FY2012
CLICK students participated and presented to elementary, junior high, and high schools on traffic safety throughout 2011-2012. CLICK students presented on seat belts, underage drinking, distracted driving, helmet safety, hardship license, and weather road conditions.
CLICK partnered with Safe Communities and worked together with the Life after Prom program, and Countdown to drive program at McCormick Jr. High School CLICK partnered up with East High school FBLA and recruited 26 students into the CLICK program which continued working with CLICK the entire year. The students became members and gave several presentations on traffic safety presentations in various schools.
CLICK worked with Cheyenne Police Department (CPD), in the junior high and senior high schools during traffic safety presentations throughout 2011-2012, and also presented to Junior and Senior High Health and Physical Education classrooms on traffic safety.
CLICK partnered up and worked with the following committees: Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition, Cheyenne Police Department, Junior High Project, Cowboy State News Network radio station on Distracted Driving, May Mobilization, Alive at 25 Program, Seat belt surveys at all schools, Safe Kids Day, Health and Fitness Day on Traffic Safety at Taco John Event Center, Texting and Driving Pledges at all schools, Distracted Driving Campaigns at all schools, Life After Prom.
Natrona County Safe Communities (NCSC)– FY2012
In FY2012 Natrona County Safe Communities (NCSC) addressed Alcohol Related Crashes, Occupant Protection of Adults, and Child Passenger Safety. Through our efforts we affected change in our community and admissions to Wyoming Medical Center. The admissions from motor vehicle accidents for children under 18 years of age decreased 16.2% from Oct – Sept 2011 to Oct – Sept 2012. Casper Police Department reported the Natrona County DUIs decreased 6.90% Jan-Aug 2011 compared to Jan-Aug 2012. The 2010 & 2011 Wyoming Fatal Crashes Summary reports an increase for the total number of crashed in Natrona County by 3. The WYDOT Safety Statistics 2010 & 2011 shows the total number of injuries decreased 3.44% and injury crashes decreased 2.7%.
The NCSC Safe Kids/Communities Coordinator met with Media Coordinator, Zach Gentile, and helped distribute campaign posters to bars, restaurants, and to coalition members for additional distribution. The impaired driving holiday campaign was again “You Drink. You Drive. You
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Lose” and included flashing, digital road signs that moved from busy intersections to busy through streets reminding drivers to ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Call 911. Periodic PSAs, news interviews, Facebook messaging, Twitter messaging, Casper College newsletter, and Casper Star Tribune advertisements are used throughout the year. Movie Theater Trivia Ads (cost of a DUI) and Billboards specific to the NHTSA campaign were posted.
The NCSC program stays up-to-date with Tipsy Taxi and supports the efforts through continued involvement in the Alcohol Task Force (ATF) meetings. NCSC supported the P.A.R.T.Y. (preventing alcohol related trauma in youth) program with the ‘Be the Wall’ component to assist parents in their efforts to prevent alcohol use in teens. Periodic PSAs, news interviews, billboards, WMC internal displays, WMC Shift Change newsletter, and Casper Star Tribune advertisements were placed throughout the year. First Night program implemented by the 12/24 Club was an alcohol free New Year's Eve celebration for the community. Safe Kids/Safe Communities of Central WY along with Mercer House, the Natrona County Prevention Coalition, the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Development Authority and more, were some of the committee members at the first-annual event with close to 1000 in attendance.
During the FY2012 Holiday Campaign, one fatality was reported by the Wyoming Highway Patrol(WHP) and the increased enforcement efforts resulted in increased DUI arrests by Casper P.D., Evansville P.D., Natrona County Sheriff's Dept., and the WHP. Only Mills P.D. reported a decrease in DUI arrests during this period. C.A.R.T.E. was, also, in full-force for the St. Patrick's Day 2012, May Mobilization, 4th of July, and Labor Day (August Crackdown) campaigns. Safe Kids/Communities held monthly meetings with coalition members to discuss, plan, and implement current NHTSA campaigns. NCSC participated in monthly Interagency Council (ICC) and Natrona County Prevention Coalition (NCPC), and Casper's Initiative to Nurture Community Health (CINCH) meetings to educate partners on current campaigns and enlist their help in distributing materials, etc.
NCSC coordinators attended the biennial Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition (WYSBC) meetings, and have participated in the workgroups to address concerns statewide. A high school seat belt survey was completed at all 3 high schools in Natrona County. In the October 2011, NCSC coordinators participated at the University of Wyoming homecoming game where occupant protection was the focus. The Media Coordinator, Zach Gentile, distributed campaign posters to bars, restaurants, and to coalition members for further distribution. Periodic PSAs, news interviews, billboards, and Casper Star Tribune advertisements were placed throughout the year. “Click it. Don’t Risk it.” decals were distributed to businesses. During the May Mobilization Campaign, “Click it. Don’t Risk it.” message was flashing on digital road signs throughout the communities. Little Convincer Program instructed kindergartners in Natrona County on the importance of seat belt safety. The kindergartners then became the catalyst for encouraging their 45
family members to buckle their own seat belts. Safe Kids Day in Casper encouraged all guests to buckle up for a safe Wyoming summer.
“Walk This Way” in October was an opportunity to remind parents to use their seatbelts and made suggestions regarding booster seats and other restraints. Periodic PSAs, news interviews, and Casper Star Tribune advertisements were placed for this campaign. NCSC coordinators attended monthly Interagency Council (ICC), Natrona County Prevention Coalition (NCPC), and Casper's Initiative to Nurture Community Health (CINCH) to educate partners on current campaigns and enlist their help in distributing materials, etc. NCSC collaborated with DARE officers in a Bowling event to raise awareness on both DARE and the Safe Kids/Communities program. Throughout the day, basic safety tips and facts regarding seat belt use and alcohol use were discussed. Safe Swim Night provided another outlet to reach community members and educate them on the importance of buckling up, not to text while driving, and proper car seat selection/installation.
The August Crackdown campaign included events at both the Casper Speedway and Casper College to raise public awareness about the dangers of impaired driving and distracted driving on our roadways and how wearing your seat belt provides a defense against these types of drivers.
NCSC coordinators and coalition members distributed flyers to pediatricians about the Wyoming Passenger Safety Law and the 2012 car seat check schedule to 127 preschools and day-cares. Car Seat Checks were conducted on the 2nd Saturday of most months throughout the fiscal year. During the months where there was a conflict, checks were conducted by appointment. New NCSC coordinators attended Child Passenger Safety technician training and became certified. The “Gift of a Mother's Love” in February, raised awareness on the safety of infants with a focus on occupant protection for both the baby and the family. Child Passenger Safety presentations at the Child Development Center taught preschoolers the importance of booster seats and offered seats to students who needed one. Seat belt surveys were distributed and collected from all 5 Natrona County junior high schools. Tabulated results were returned to the schools accompanied by a Safety Fact Sheet that was read on their school announcements. NCSC participated in the annual Back to School Bash and provided Little Convincer Demonstrations along with further education on seat belt usage and occupant protection safety. Child Passenger Safety Week 2012 involved 2 separate car seat checks, car seat education presentations, and Little Convincer demonstrations at community functions.
Laramie Co. Safe Communities (LCSC)
NHTSA recognizes 3 main campaigns: May Mobilization, focusing on seatbelt usage; the Alcohol Crackdown, focusing on decreasing drunk driving; and Child Passenger Safety week, focusing on getting child restraints checked as well as 46
increasing education, and celebrating certified technicians. During the past year Laramie County Safe Communities celebrated May Mobilization by holding statewide events in which seat belt usage was discussed, holding Safe Kids Day, distributing posters throughout the area, and supporting the “Every 15 Minutes” program in Pine Bluffs. LCSC partnered with Highway Safety for a media event to kickoff the campaign.
For the alcohol crackdown in August, Safe Communities used cinema ads and its newsletter to get the word out. There was also educational information distributed at a Big Country Speedway event, the Wyoming Trauma Conference, and Cheyenne Frontier Days. During CPS Week, the final big campaign, Safe Communities held the Boost Til 9 event. This event was sponsored by Kohl’s and it went extremely well. There were 5 different media hits and a great turnout of children with their parents and/or caregivers. The campaign also encompassed an educational booth at LCCC, a booster class at St. Mary’s school, and a radio spot lead by Stephanie Heitsch and a Wyoming Highway Patrol representative.
Strong partnerships are essential to the growth of the program because when solid partnerships exist the community is benefited. Over the last year affiliations have been created and strengthened with WYDOT Highway Safety and Wyoming Highway Patrol. Throughout the year WYDOT Highway Safety has assisted with media coverage, sponsorship, educational materials, informational booths and much more. Highway Safety and Highway Patrol have both participated in classrooms with the Little Convincer Program, manned tables at the Speedway, and attend countless meetings covering child passenger safety, the injury prevention coalition, media plans, and much more.
Other noted partnerships included the Cheyenne Capidolls Roller Derby team with their support with education, Laramie County School District 1 has allowed us to come in and speak with students of all ages on topics ranging from booster seats to driving preparedness, to the risk of not wearing a seat belt. LCSC worked with Laramie County Community College holding 3 informational booths, a car seat event, a health fair, and the Shawn Dubie Rodeo where each shared messaging with attendees. The City of Cheyenne partnered through the Zombie Fest, Super Day, Brewers Festival, and the Summer Camp program and assisted in logo exposure during their summer long ‘Movie in the Park’ program.
A large amount of media attention came from the radio stations KGAB and KYOY through event coverage or a time slot to discuss issues 7 different times over the past year. Safe Communities has also had television news coverage from both K-2 news and News Channel 5 five times during events. Printed media coverage has occurred as well in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and the hospital news magazine, CRMC Today. According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP), in 2011 there were 1040 citations given to individuals who did not have their child safety restraints properly installed of which 975 citations given to first time offenders and 65 citations given to second time offenders. Through the WHP, there were 6,309 citations given to drivers without seat belts on, 138 to drivers with no seat belts on and had a passenger under 12 in the vehicle, and 1,929 to passengers not wearing their seat belts. This totaled 9,412 citations in FY2011 just by WHP. 47
In FY2012 all of these totals increased. There were 1,182 citations for first and second time offenders of improper child safety restraint installation, 7,039 for drivers without seat belts, 171 for driver with passengers under 12 without seat belts, and 2,273 for passengers not wearing. The 2012 total was 10,665; 1,253 more citations were given in FY2012 than FY2011. LCSC sees this as a message to the public that officers are writing citations because a problem has been clearly identified. An increase in enforcement should lead drivers and passengers alike to start buckling up. As far as the increase in improper child safety restraints, this means that officers are becoming increasingly aware of incorrect usage and are sharing LCSC contact information. The numbers show that seat belt usage is a standing issue in Laramie County and more must be done to change the behaviors of residents.
In FY2011 there were 53 citations for drivers under 18 with a BAC level over 0.08 and a child passenger. There were also 68 citations for drivers under 21 with a BAC level of 0.02 or more. The total number of DUI citations statewide in FY2011 was 4,950. In 2012 there were 57 intoxicated drivers with a child passenger and a BAC over the legal limit. 79 drivers under 21 years old were cited for driving with alcohol recorded over 0.02. The FY2012 total number of DUI citations came to 4,805, which is 145 less than the previous year. The decreased number can be credited to the increased education and information that is being provided by this coalition and the other safe community coalitions, as well as WYDOT Highway Safety, WHP, local law enforcement and the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition. LCSC must continue to education in a variety of ways to get the message to both our youth and adult population about the problem involved with drinking and driving.
Throughout the year 49 events covered impaired driving, 122 events covered occupant protection, 28 events covered distracted driving, and 18 events covered helmet education. Each event size, duration, and reach was different with potential coverage of multiple areas depending on the venue, time, and audience. Safe Communities is always attempting to address the needs and issues set forth by the residents. It is the goal to reach more, educate more, and increase the safety of more individuals than the years past.
Albany Co. Safe Communities (ACSC)
Throughout the 2011-2012 Safe Communities grant year, Albany County Safe Communities educated community members and other community organizations about the goals of the Safe Communities grant to gain support, build relationships, and collaborate. As a coalition, monthly meetings were held (CoPSA meetings), quarterly Safe Communities sub-committee meetings were held, and ACSC coordinators attended monthly A-Team meetings (campus alcohol issues coalition). As part of our grant, we have become members of the Wyoming Seatbelt Coalition as well. Throughout the grant year, educational information and awareness materials were distributed to bars and restaurants in Laramie (Holiday Season, St. Patrick’s Day, May Mobilization, Jubilee Days, August Crackdown, UW Game days). 48
During this grant year, we participated in the City of Laramie Wellness Fair and distributed educational information related to occupant safety and impaired driving to 125 event participants. In addition to various community fairs and events, we participated in all WyoTech orientations, educating all new WyoTech students about Wyoming and local laws related to occupant safety, impaired driving, distracted driving, etc. A total of 1,255 new WyoTech students were educated in these areas during this grant year.
One partnership, that has specially grown, has been with University of Wyoming (UW) Sports Properties, for selected UW football and basketball games. They are the managing group for all UW sports activities. During this grant cycle, a contract was completed with UW Sports for both buckle up events and DUI events. This was a great demographic to be able to reach for both issues.
Fremont County Safe Communities (FCSC)
Injury Prevention Resources (IPR) has done well spreading the word about its mission as an agency, being like minded with WYDOT and NHTSA. The Seatbelt Survivor Campaign was an incredibly successful event and created an ability to showcase focal points of safe communities and place public focus on a positive message without an advertising aspect. IPR has been more successful welcoming media entities to cover its educational programs throughout the community in comparison to spending large amounts of time duplicating WYDOT and NHTSA’s efforts in media campaigns. IPR continues to focus on getting more impacting items into the hands of people who advocate for the message and people who are willing to engage in conversation about the importance of the message of buckling up and to not drink and drive. IPR continue to focus giving incentive items to educational programs for youth with the stipulation that the person(s) receiving the items are involved and truly receiving education.
In FY2012 the Injury Prevention Resources Board made a change in leadership at the Executive Director position. The strengths are with partnerships in Fremont County but none is more valued than the partnerships in the schools. IPR will need to increase partnerships at the High School level in Fremont County and increasingly focus on education in the schools. IPR
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has built incredible partnerships at the elementary school level and middle school level during the past year. Safety Rodeos conducted by IPR were more successful than past events due to better organization and communication. As noted earlier, IPR will work to increase the focus on programs in Fremont County High Schools. IPR plans to conduct a Battle of the Belts Survey in upcoming years. The impaired and distracted driving simulator will be a focal point in the high schools because of the importance of the topics. The technological aspect of the simulator will help to involve students. Both of these programs will be conducted with pre and post surveys and will be surrounded with numerous educational messages prior to the event. IPR will partner in these events with law enforcement, mock car crashes, etc. which will not only increase effectiveness but also help with community partnerships with law enforcement agencies.
IPR welcomes media entities to cover the educational programs throughout the community in comparison to spending large amounts of time duplicating WYDOT and NHTSA’s efforts in media campaigns. WYDOT’s Public Involvement specialist, Cody Beers, is second to none and has the messaging and advertising aspect in Fremont County covered. IPR will support Cody’s paid media campaigns and will focus more on earned media and education. IPR will also coordinate its efforts with WYDOT, law enforcement and schools in Fremont County to strengthen the campaigns conducted in May and August: May Mobilization and August Crackdown. IPR will do its part to ensure media messages and tag lines remain consistent in Fremont County. IPR will continue to work toward increasingly relevant earned media and partnerships in Fremont County.
• Community Events with Earned media: o Light up Lander event o Gift of a mother’s love events- Riverton and Lander Hospitals February 2012 (CPS) o Attended Winter Fair in Lander o Attended CWC Spring booth o Tailgating for Tots event in Lander o Books and Breakfast- emphasis on seat belt usage and helmet safety– approximately 400 people attended. Informational pamphlets were distributed to all attendees who wanted more information. Adults asked various questions about Wyoming Law relevant to child car seats and seat belts. o Conducted Bike Safety Event “Mini Rodeo” at Lander Library o Fremont Area Road Tour Race- discussed Injury Prevention programs and Safe Communities involvement with participants - placed emphasis on helmet safety • WYSBC- Banners placed at Wind River Indian High School, Fremont County Fair, Riverton Day in the Park, Fremont County Rodeo
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• Placed advertisements in local newspapers and websites and distributed posters for the following national campaigns: o Halloween o Thanksgiving o Christmas o Superbowl o St. Patrick’s Day o May Mobilization- ‘Parents Who Host Lose the Most’, ‘Click it or Ticket’ and saturation patrol relevant media, “It’s a really big deal” buckle up ads ran on County 10 website, two separate spots done on K2 television news about Safety Rodeos, Motorcycle Awareness posters distributed th o 4 of July o August Crackdown- Posters Distributed August crackdown, ads ran on County 10 website, Radio Station August Crackdown interview done on Ledge 105.1 • Continued Tough Guys Buckle Up Advertisement ran when not working the above listed campaigns • Met with Pitch Engine and County10.com to address specific marketing and advertising plans for the future
Buckle Up Kids
The Buckle Up Kids Program was first granted funding for child passenger safety training in 1999. The Buckle Up Kids Program in partnership with Safe Kids USA, WYDOT’s Highway Safety Program, the Wyoming Department of Health, Safe Kids Wyoming, and Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Foundation is a comprehensive statewide initiative that works with local communities to train and certify volunteer personnel to provide child safety seat checks in their communities. The program offers training for technicians and community advocates and offers technical support with one statewide data center on checkers, certified trainers, advocates and the checkup results. The effective child passenger safety training of this grant raises awareness for parents/caregivers of the importance of proper occupant restraint usage for all riding with children. The program also focuses its attention on not only the safety of children riding in vehicles, but on all vehicle occupants. The data center evaluates misuse of child restraints from across the state, helps direct information to correct problems and tracks the use of seat belts by drivers. [See “Noteworthy Practices” portion of this report for more details.]
Enforcement
Wyoming is a secondary seat belt law state. As such, all overtime/high visibility speed and alcohol
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subgrantees are encouraged to use their contact time to support child restraint and seat belt use through education, warnings and citations. Each grantee activity report form provides a location to capture this information. In FY2012, grant funded local law enforcement and WHP combined their efforts to produce 743 child restraint/seat belt citations compared to 749 in FY2011. [The complete enforcement summaries are provided in the Addendum.]
May Mobilization
Law Enforcement
All law enforcement subgrantees agreed to participate in the May Mobilization safety campaign. Local law enforcement agencies were required to support the National Campaign efforts. A total of 1,388 hours worked resulted in 7 DUI arrests, 113 Seat Belt citations compared to 3,570 hours and 196 Seat Belt citations in 2011. [See the addendum for the full results.]
Safe Communities
Each of the safe communities programs in Wyoming participated. In Fremont County, Injury Prevention Resources (IPR) distributed 100 posters throughout the county, ran ads for 10 days on County 10 (40,000 readers per day) and on the Riverton Radio Website – the 3rd 10 days of the month for Don’t Risk it, Click it or Ticket. The billboards “Buckle Up Tough Guys” were up by the 3rd week in May. Three radio messages were aired beginning on May21st.
In Albany County, Coalition to Prevent Substance Abuse (CoPSA) distributed both posters and buckle up napkins to restaurants and other businesses. CoPSA held a Mock Crash at the high school along with an assembly partnering with law enforcement, fire, ambulance and the hospital. Media covered these events. At the After Prom party provided seat belt education. Spoke to students at the high school, several elementary schools and WyoTech about the importance of wearing seat belts.
Laramie County Safe Communities used the entire month of May to emphasis the importance of seat belts beginning on May 5th Safe Kids Day and then that night the East High School After Prom Party. LCSC partnered with Wyoming Highway Patrol and other Safe Kids Coalitions/Partners holding safety events at 4 locations across the state from May 9-12, 2012 including child safety seat check up events at each place. ‘Every 15 Minutes’ program was held at the Pine Bluffs High School on May 14th. A child passenger safety technician training was held in Rock Springs May 26-27 and June 2-3, 2012 to complete the class. Two cinema ads were running throughout the month.
In Natrona County Safe Communities began their efforts on April 25th with visits to all the junior high school principals with a letter and a request for each to do a seat belt survey. Then the NCSC coordinators met with the Alcohol Task Force to request a C.A.R.T.E. operation by law
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enforcement to emphasize seat belt usage. The coordinator did seat belt surveys at Kelly Walsh and Natrona County High Schools and at Roosevelt. NCSC gathered all the junior high surveys and summarized the results and returned the findings with facts to each of the schools. A press release was sent to the media announcing the May Mobilization with a Press Event on May 24th at the Casper P.D./ City Hall. Posters and napkins were distributed to bars/restaurants. May 25-28th the C.A.R.T.E. operation was held, then gathered numbers of the enforcement activities and reported the results to “Report to Wyoming” on June 3rd.
The Highway Safety Office partnered with WYDOT Public Affairs, Laramie County Safe Communities, CLICK, the Cheyenne Police Department, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) to plan and implement a press event at the Depot Plaza on May 22. The City of Cheyenne Fire Department provided a large pumper and a ladder truck. The American Medical Response ambulance service brought an ambulance. The media covered the event where Chief Brian Kosak (Cheyenne P.D.), Lt. Don Hollingshead (Laramie CO S.O.) and Capt. Derek Mickelson with the WHP each spoke about the importance of seat belts to the listening audience. Robert Tompkins (Highway Safety Program Supervisor) acted as the master of ceremony.
Seat Belt Survey
Wyoming’s 2012 Survey of Seat Belt Use in the State of Wyoming was developed in accordance the Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 23 CFR Part §1340. The 2012 survey methodology distinguishes it from all prior surveys of seat belt use in Wyoming. Consequently, this becomes the new baseline survey of seat belt use in Wyoming and no comparisons with prior surveys or the results of those surveys, except in the most general sense, are presented in this report. The narrative that follows discusses the characteristics of the sample, followed by a presentation of the estimates of seat belt use overall and within the categories of several important variables. The estimates that are presented are derived from data that was weighted in accordance with the probabilities associated with the sampling methodology.
Below is a summary of the major results that are discussed in detail in the rest of the report.
• The overall estimate of seat belt use for all vehicle occupants was 77.0 percent. This estimate is based on observations of 24,738 drivers, and outboard passengers in 18,705 vehicles across eighteen sites in each of sixteen counties, for a total of 288 sites. The standard error associated with this estimate was 1.20 percent. Observers were unable to determine seat belt use for 466 drivers and passengers, or 2.0 percent of the sample. • Outboard passengers were belted at a rate of 78.7 percent, slightly higher than the 76.4 percent rate for drivers. • The seat belt usage rate in rural areas was 76.5 percent and 78.6 percent of urban sites. Rural sites accounted for more than two-thirds of the drivers and passengers in the sample. • Teton County had the highest rate of seat belt use at 98.3 percent. Other counties with rates above the statewide average include Platte, Carbon, Sublette and Lincoln. Counties with relatively low rates of seat belt use include Big Horn, Campbell, Sweetwater, and Natrona.
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• Drivers and Passengers in vehicles registered outside of Wyoming had a much higher rate of seat belt use, at 86.3 percent, than did their counterparts in vehicles registered in Wyoming, with a seat belt usage rate of 72.2 percent. However, less than a third of the occupants are in out-of-state vehicles.Survey of Seat Belt Use 2 • The rate of seat belt use was highest on primary roads at 80.2 percent belted. The rate on secondary roads was 77.5 percent. The lowest level of seat belt use was associated with drivers and passengers on local roads, rural roads, and city streets, where the estimate was 66.0 percent belted. • Females were belted at a rate of 82.7 percent, while the comparable rate for males was 73.5 percent, a difference of 9.2 percentage points. Females generally had higher rates of seat belt use for every category of every variable examined in this survey. • The highest rates of seat belt use were found for drivers and passengers in vans and SUVs at 84.7 percent and 83.7 belted, respectively. Occupants in automobiles were belted at a rate of 78.2 percent, while drivers and passengers in pickup trucks were belted at a rate of 69.2 percent. • Females had higher rates of seat belt use in every type of vehicle, especially in pickup trucks where 76.6 percent of females were belted compared to a rate of 67.3 percent for males. Males made up more than three-fourths of the pickup truck occupants in this survey.
The entire Seat Belt Survey for 2012 can be found on: http://www.dot.state.wy.us/safety/ or on http://www.wysbc.org.
Child Passenger Safety Week
In Wyoming, the theme for this week was Boost ‘Til 9 as in the last three years, since our law states the child must be properly restrained in a child restraint or seat belt until they attain their ninth birthday. Nineteen locations held Child passenger check up events across the state with 203 seats checked and 96 seats distributed. Fifty-seven CPS technicians and other volunteers assisted with parents/caregivers to ensure the child was safer than when they arrived. A special poster was distributed that was localized for each event. Each location also received t-shirts for the technicians and volunteers. The Highway Safety Office in partnership with the Public Affairs Office purchased radio spots statewide using a little girl and her mom telling all the importance of using the boost seat emphasizing “Safety Saves”. The Wyoming Highway Patrol CPS technicians participated in many of the local events to provide the extra help needed. See the addendum for the full results.
Impediments to Achievements:
● Secondary seat belt law ● Public’s perception of low expectation of a crash occurring in Wyoming ● Public’s perception of low expectation of receiving a seat belt citation – based on survey data (WYSAC Wyoming Drivers Survey – 2012) 54
Future Strategies
● The two regional safe communities will expand service areas in FY2013 to cover four counties with the traffic safety messages working with new partners in a coordinated effort.
● Work on low expectations of law enforcement citing for current seat belt law 1) Continue to educate officers through the local law enforcement media coordinator efforts 2) Continue the discuss on avenues to increase seat belt usage in the WASCOP Traffic Safety Committee and through the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition 3) Utilize event based law enforcement to target occupant protection issues
●Continue to be a resource for the benefits of strengthening the state’s current seat belt law
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Speed Enforcement
Total Expenditures
402 $ 317,893.23
Achievements
• There were 4,660 speeding citations issued during overtime efforts in FY2012 by local and state law enforcement officers. • The Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) worked a total of 1,210 hours overtime hours and wrote 2,932 speeding citations, compared to 1,097 hours and 2,910 citations in FY2011.
Key Projects
Speed Enforcement
Speed Enforcement projects provide the opportunity for local law enforcement and the WHP to target speeding issues, reduce its involvement in crashes and to use as a trigger offense to stop unbelted drivers. The project increases their visibility, the number of focused traffic enforcement hours and perception of heightened enforcement on the roadways. All overtime, high visibility grants, are encouraged to utilize their contact time to support child restraint and seat belt laws through education, warnings and citations.
In total, Wyoming law enforcement officers issued 4,660 speeding citations during overtime efforts in FY2012, compared to 4,012 citations issued during overtime efforts in FY2011. WHP worked a total of 1,210 hours during their speed enforcement grant and had 2,932 speeding citations, 3 DUI arrests, 20 child restraint citations, 108 seat belt citations and 189 other citations.
Local law enforcement worked a total of 2,392 overtime hours during FY2012. In those hours 1,728 speeding citations were issued, 31 child restraint citations, 328 seat belt citations, and 31 DUI arrests. The HSO provided funding for speed radars, video cameras, PBTs (Portable Breath Testers), Blood Kits and Intoximeters, to support local law enforcement and Patrol in their effort to reduce impaired driving and speeding plus increase the use of occupant restraints.
Impediments to Achievements
• Large state resulting in high average miles driven per person • Rural/frontier state which has a low traffic volume • No perceived risk of driving except in high wind and poor weather related conditions
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Future Strategies
• Continue to use dynamic speed limit signs that are more responsive to fall/winter/spring weather and road conditions • Continue high visibility enforcement overtime grants • Monitor closely the percent of speed related crash fatalities among total crash fatalities in calendar year 2012. The speed related crash fatality rate increased significantly in calendar year 2011 over the rate for 2010. If the rate increases again in 2012 additional countermeasures should be implemented.
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Paid Media
Total Expenditures 402 $ 2,101,258.45 154AL $ 236,949.06
Achievements
The local law enforcement media coordinators have been very active ensuring the counties they serve have the latest enforcement campaign messages. The new “Don’t Risk it! Click it or Ticket” logo went statewide in FY2012 with great acceptance of the stronger message. The WYDOT Public Affairs Office has established a partnership with the University of Wyoming Sports Program for traffic safety messaging.
Key Projects
402 Media Grant:
WYDOT’s Public Affairs Office (PAO) used federal grant funds at many sports venues such as banner advertising in hockey rinks, rodeos (high school, college and professional), college basketball & football, junior college basketball, volleyball and soccer, Denver Broncos radio broadcasts, the UW Coach’s Corner radio show, various outdoors-themed radio shows, last year’s Super Bowl TV broadcast (locally), trails maps and other outdoors activity publications. WYDOT’s Public Involvement Specialists assisted in achieving these types of efforts on a statewide basis. Stephanie Harsha (WYDOT District 3) worked with the National High School Rodeo Championship using the seat belt messaging.
Between the Public Affairs Office and the five Public Involvement Specialists (PIS) around the state, record coverage was achieved in schools and youth sporting venues across Wyoming this year. In FY2012, seat belt messaging was in elementary, middle and high schools from corner to corner. The message locations included: baseball diamonds, soccer fields, swimming meets, basketball courts, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling and track events. This type of coverage created exceptional opportunities to reach the core audience and their families, as well as helped lay the groundwork for partnerships in safety between WYDOT, the schools, law enforcement and other first responders.
The year started with football buys: high school banners and programs, UW football and Broncos radio broadcasts. A statewide Thanksgiving radio campaign was conducted aimed at occupant protection for the holidays. For the first time, a partnership was forged with the
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statewide Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) event to have our safety messages prominently displayed at their annual event for high school participants and their families.
The usual May Mobilization effort was made statewide with TV, radio, web and print buys. Our PIS partners ensured that the efforts were displayed and heard on a local level around the state.
Seat belt messaging was a constant on the airwaves around the state, thanks to our PIS partners. Through this proven history with our media partners in these efforts continues to pay off in the form of low buy rates and high volume air time.
To close out the summer, a statewide Child Passenger Safety effort was on radio and the web, and also rolled into fall with messaging at the UW football games.
154PM Alcohol Media Grant:
WYDOT’s Public Affairs Office used its alcohol grant funds at many sports venues such as banner advertising in hockey rinks, rodeos (high school, college and professional), college basketball & football, junior college basketball, volleyball and soccer, Denver Broncos radio broadcasts, the UW Coach’s Corner radio show, various outdoors-themed radio shows, last year’s Super Bowl TV broadcast (locally), trails maps and other outdoors activity publications. With the help of WYDOT’s Public Involvement Specialists these types of efforts were achieved on a statewide basis.
The year began with impaired driving messages focused on the holidays with statewide radio and TV buys. Web banner ads were featured on many radio station web sites as well as on both the Casper Star Tribune and Wyoming Tribune Eagle web sites.
Public Affairs focused on sports at the schools and strengthened its relationships with the community colleges by placing ad buys in their venues and moved into some new sports opportunities. Some new areas included the aforementioned trails maps. The message was prominently featured on the Glendo Trails map. Similar messaging as the trails maps may expand next year. For the first time, Public Affairs advertised at a bike polo event and at roller derby events. During rodeo season, Public Affairs featured its alcohol grant funds on banners, chutes and jumbo-tron TV screens around the state.
As usual, the efforts out of District 5 were exceptional, as Cody Beers has really set the bar high for the other PIS to get out there and partner with local entities to promote safety messages.
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The year was closed out through the usual September/August Crackdown messages. The messages were on TV, radio, web and statewide in newspapers. Public Affairs took advantage of a statewide newspaper bulk buy that garnered a great deal of print space for one low price all across Wyoming. While print advertising is not as strong as it once was for our demographic, the buy rate was exceptional. Our new videographer created a powerful TV spot which received a lot of positive feedback.
Local Media Coordinators
The local media coordinators pilot project was initiated in September of 2011. The Highway Safety Office, with staff from Johnson & Associates, developed the basic structure of a statewide media distribution plan using local law enforcement agencies already involved in the HVE/DUI grant process. Local law enforcement agencies used overtime grant funds to distribute posters, radio, and print media related to national and local events through this funding opportunity with the option of using civilian personnel in lieu of sworn officers if the resource was more available.
Each county now has at least one media coordinator that is responsible for increasing the public’s awareness in highway safety. Toward that end, the Highway Safety Office and Johnson and Associates host regional highway safety media coordinators meetings across the state for all agencies that receive grant funding. These meetings were instrumental for providing essential information about the intent of this project, agency requirements and for providing media materials for upcoming events.
The goal of the Highway Safety Office and Johnson & Associates is to have resources available approximately 30-45 days prior to an event. Further, the goal is to distribute posters relevant to the campaign and PSA’s specific to Wyoming and/or the campaign to include radio and print ready examples. Approximately 2000 posters are distributed per campaign and in some cases t- shirts have been created for distribution (Sturgis). Posters and other media are distributed statewide in the smallest of our Wyoming communities through this project and contacts made by our law enforcement professionals spreading the message of highway safety.
This project is important to the safety of those traveling Wyoming highways. This project has expanded to include partnerships with members of safe communities and the Wyoming Seat Belt Coalition.
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Other Media
Dynamic Message Signs: Every major campaign is supported by dynamic messaging signs (DMS) that display the targeted messages such as: “Don’t Risk It. Click It or Ticket.”, "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” “Please Buckle Up!" and this type of media outreach is an effective way to reach our Wyoming audience.
Native American Media Outreach
The Wyoming Department of Transportation was part of a team- oriented effort with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapahoe Tribes on the Wind River Reservation, Hispanidad (NHTSA approved marketing firm from Denver) and students at Wind River High School in Pavillion.
"Buckle Up Tough Guy" was the theme of this year-long effort designed to increase usage of seat belts on the Wind River Reservation. The side benefit of this effort also involved the messaging reaching out to all Fremont County residents for the added benefit of pushing this buckle-up message to nearly 40,000 people. The "Buckle Up Tough Guy" campaign was accomplished through intensive radio advertising efforts using tribal voices of young people from Wind River School, tribal elders from the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes, and billboard, print and web site advertising through Lamar billboards, Wind River News (the tribal newspaper) and Tidbits (county-wide shopper) and use of web sites (County10.com and Rivertonradio.com). We ran radio advertising in KVOW-KTAK Radio in Riverton and KCWC-FM (the Central Wyoming College radio station).
This campaign attempted to "brand" the idea of the importance of always buckling seat belts, no matter your age. This campaign was intentionally targeted at males ages 18-35, the demographic least inclined to buckle their seat belts.
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The success of this campaign has been witnessed by Fremont County residents through the branding and improved seatbelt usage numbers according to the seat belt usage survey conducted annually by IPR. The words "Buckle Up Tough Guy" are being used by people of all ages. This campaign has also been picked up by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for possible replication nationally. This campaign was also copied with success during the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs during the summer of 2012, and during the 2012 Frontier Days in Cheyenne. Both rodeo campaigns used the premise of "Buckle Up Tough Guy" to reach this younger age group of males. Another Fremont County campaign is being planned over the next year using non-Native Americans, and will focus on the Buckle Up Tough Guy theme.
Attitude and Awareness Survey
The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center (WYSAC) at the University of Wyoming contracted for a project to assess driver attitudes, awareness, and behaviors. A statewide telephone survey of licensed Wyoming drivers was conducted to collect baseline data to inform WYDOT’s efforts to positively influence driving behaviors in the state. The initial survey was conducted in August 2010. By design, follow-up surveys were conducted in June 2011 and again in July 2012. The purpose of the follow up surveys was to assess changes in drivers’ attitudes, opinions, knowledge, and behaviors. Both the sampling frame and the questionnaire remained unchanged to achieve maximum comparability of the results.
Highlights of the survey are:
Seat Belts
1. Self reported seat belt use overall has remained constant with 73.7% of Wyoming drivers reporting to wear a seat belt always or often during the last three years. The males in this survey indicated that they always wear their seat belt 66.7% compared to females at 80.8%. 2. Roughly one-third of Wyoming residents believe their chances are extremely high or high for getting a ticket for driving without a seat belt, another third believe their chances
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are 50/50 and another third believe their chances are low or extremely low. Women are more apt to think their chances are higher for getting a ticket. 3. Support for higher fines for failure to wear a seat belt was 53%. Females were slightly higher at 62% in favor compared to males at 44%. Additionally, pickup truck drivers (39.5%) and semi truck drivers (37.5%) were least supportive of higher fines for not wearing a seat belt. 4. Males are significantly more likely to use a pickup truck (51.7%) as their primary vehicle while females are more likely to drive cars and SUV’s (46.4% and 36.0%, respectively).
Cell Phones
1. In 2012, 38.55% of Wyoming drivers indicated that they make or receive phone calls while driving a vehicle. 2. Drivers ages 18-24, 25-34, 35-44 are the most likely to regularly make calls while driving (23.8%, 19.1%, 20.4%, respectively), compared to 16% or less for all other age groups.
Alcohol
1. Roughly 17% of Wyoming residents in the previous 60 days had driven a motor vehicle within 2 hours of having an alcoholic beverage. 2. Over half (57.8%) of Wyoming residents think they the chances are extremely high or high that someone in Wyoming will get arrested if they driving within town limits after drinking alcohol. Driving outside of city/town limits, only 33.8% think the chances are high. In both these scenarios, males are more likely than females to think the chances of getting arrested for drinking and driving are low or extremely low. 3. A large majority of drivers (92.4%) report that their behavior would change for one year or more in the event that they received a ticket for driving under the influence.
Speeding
1. Only 9.6% of Wyoming drivers indicate they regularly (always or often) drive more than five miles per hour over the speed limit in 30 mph speed limit areas. When considering roads with 75 mph speed limit, the number of drivers who regularly speed by more than 5 mph drops to 5.8%. 2. Younger drivers are more likely to regularly speed. Only 63.9% of those aged 18-24 years old report to never speed in areas with a 75 mph speed limit, compared to over 80% of drivers 35 years of age and older.
Media Campaigns
1. Males are more likely than females to have read, seen, or heard messaging about the enforcement of seat belt laws (60% and 50%, respectively). 2. Those who had seen messaging about seat belts on a billboard increased from 41.8% in 2010 to 57.5% in 2012. 3. Those who had seen messaging about enforcement of alcohol impaired driving on a billboard increased from 16.5% in 2010 to 40.9% in 2012.
The entire Attitude and Awareness results can be found on the WYDOT website: http://www.dot.state.wy.us
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Impediments to Achievements
There is no true statewide coverage from media within the State of Wyoming. Larger markets outside of the State of Wyoming bleed into the state from bordering states such as Colorado, South Dakota, Utah and Montana.
Future Strategies
To increase the visibility of our partners who share the mission of reducing the deaths and injuries on Wyoming’s roadways.
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Traffic Records
Total Expenditures 408 Funds $650,412.14
Achievements • The Quality Assurance initiative has begun, with the initial focus on Crash data, regarding the following aspects: o Automate the current quality control checks o Streamline the steps from QC check to correction o Keep track of corrections made (trends) o Begin tracking higher-level Quality Assurance metrics • Pilot “Needs Analysis” Report has been developed to support this year’s District Tours; integrates data from multiple sets, including roadway feature data and safety related information extracted from the crash data. This integration of various traffic records is intended to help encourage safety treatments with high priority (benefit-to-cost) to be implemented. • There are multiple efforts underway regarding Intersections, with an emphasis to make better use of the information that can be extracted from traffic records and put to use for safety improvements: o There is agreement for the intersection inventory schema. o The effort to get a comprehensive state-wide inventory of intersections has begun; with the consultant selected, contract in place, and work to start in FY2013. o A standard safety report for intersections has been defined with inputs from multiple stakeholders. The report will include an enhanced collision diagram. • Over 100 Crash Factors have been implemented; for each crash, it is determined whether each factor was involved or not. This sets the stage for determination as to whether those factors are over-represented in any specific slice of the data (e.g. in a specific location). • The Public Road LRS project has progressed, with the following achievements: o A comprehensive set of geometries and mileposts for all city streets added to the county roads and highways o A Roadway Names database has been created, with an agreed schema, a procedure and tool for maintenance, and has been populated with all highway names, and city street / county road names for 3 counties. • The pilot project regarding Crash & Citation integration has gathered steam. o Tools for Highway Patrol divisions and troopers have been set up, providing data-drive enforcement support o Four Patrol divisions in the state are volunteers in the pilot the project within Highway Patrol. If all goes well, then the approach will be rolled out to all of patrol statewide. • The Safety Management system has progressed, and the prototype is now implemented in Oracle, with associated Crystal Reports. • The Wyoming Ambulance Trip Reporting system continues to gain ground, with a further increase in the number of first responders (58 of 61 ground transporting agencies) using the system. • The NEMSIS assessment has been performed, and the final report has been provided. • TBD: E-Citation in Wyoming Highway Patrol
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Key Projects
Wyoming Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services This project continues to outfit the EMS stations around the State with software and hardware to enhance the electronic EMS WATRS (Wyoming Ambulance Trip Reporting System). Approximately 66% of the State is equipped with software and hardware for electronic reporting.
Crash Data Quality Assurance This project has been launched, with a first phase addressing the need to automate the checks and streamline the correction of the issues identified. A set of functions to be used in location- based quality control have been identified, and are being pursued. These will improve the ability to do comprehensive checks on location-based information.
WYDOT Integration of Safety Project Planning and Asset Management The development of a Safety Management System continues; linking high-crash locations with selected remedies to develop a list of candidate treatments for consideration alongside pavement and bridge projects. The level and usefulness of information available to the decision-makers continues to improve. The Highway Safety Policy for the department has been rewritten to institutionalize the enhanced process.
GIS/LRS Project This project continues to progress (albeit more slowly than desired). Emphasis continues on converging into a “single source of truth” with regards to the routes representing public roads, along with key information about those routes, such roadway names, ownership, and functional classification.
Impediments to Achievements
• The State has mandated a restructuring of the Information Technology organization throughout the state, which has resulted in delays in many IT related projects, as the roles and responsibilities get settled.
Future Strategies
• Continue to consolidate the public road LRS as the “single source of truth” regarding routes. Complete the Roadway Name database, address the topology issues identified, and begin working with the counties to maintain the LRS • Continue to pursue map-based crash reporting, working with the vendor and internal WYDOT programs to ensure that the user’s needs for location accuracy and ease of reporting are met. • Implement a first phase of EMS/Crash integration. • Continue the Quality Assurance initiative, expanding beyond the basic quality control and into the monitoring trends and detection of issues related to the reporting (rather than the reports). • Complete the intersection inventory, along with the comprehensive intersection safety report.
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• Add the capability to identify over-representation of crash factors to the information packages being provided in support of the Safety Management System. • Complete the electronic citation for Wyoming Highway Patrol.
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Motorcycle Safety
Total Expenditures 2010 $ 150,512.12 154AL $ 50,323.41
Achievements
• The increased law enforcement/media pilot project implemented in August 2011 and expanded in 2012, during the Sturgis, South Dakota Motorcycle Rally has been successful. The number of motorcyclist fatalities reduced from 33 in CY2010 to 16 in CY2011 to 12 in CY2012 as of the end of November 2012.
Key Projects
WYDOT Motorcycle Paid Media
The Motorcycle Safety Program worked directly with the WYDOT Public Affairs Office to develop and place media via television, newspaper, magazine, internet and billboards for the public to be more aware of motorcyclists on the streets and roadways. The message used was, “Look Twice, Save a Life. Watch for Motorcyclists!,” in an attempt to brand the message for the public to be more aware of motorcyclists as part of the traffic mix.
The Motorcycle Safety Program worked with the Highway Safety Office to emphasize this campaign throughout the summer riding months with special emphasis the last two weeks in July and the first two weeks in August around the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Ham and Jam. The emphasis for these four weeks were using tank toppers, fillboards and posters at gas stations, in strategic locations plus an ice box wrap to increase awareness of motorcyclists. Twenty gas stations were targeted for the tank toppers and fillboards along the routes heading to Sturgis, S.D. and Hulett, WY for the Ham & Jam. Sheridan, Gillette, Moorcroft, Hulett, Midwest, Kaycee, Casper, Douglas, Lusk, Torrington, Chugwater, Wheatland, Laramie and Cheyenne were the communities on the route.
In 2011, out of the 308 reported motorcycle crashes in Wyoming 24 of those crashes involved impaired motorcycle drivers. Alcohol affects the balance and coordination skills, which are essential to riding a motorcycle. On August 3, 2012 the Wyoming Highway Patrol joined with other Wyoming law enforcement agencies across the state to launch an aggressive campaign on impaired riding. As the number of motorcyclists increase on Wyoming’s highways, so do the number of reported motorcycle crashes. Extra troopers were assigned to the northeast portion of the state during the 72nd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, which began on August 6th. During this celebration, motorcyclists often head into Wyoming for the “Ham n Jam” portion of that rally which takes place in Hulett in the Devil’s Tower area. Troopers across the state increased their patrols during this time to watch for 68 impaired riders.
The Motorcycle Safety Program sent a representative to the 2012 Lifesavers Conference for the first time in an attempt to network with other states to obtain new ideas for future motorcycle safety campaigns. Throughout FY2012, there were 87 motorcycle safety classes taught statewide with 972 students completing the class.
Additional information on the Sturgis Enforcement Campaign can be found in the Noteworthy Project Section.
Impediments & Challenges to Achievements
• Wyoming has a primary helmet law for persons under 18 years of age • Motorcycle training courses are not in every community for ease of participation
Future Strategies
• Increase the number of intermediate motorcycle rider courses to assist the mature riders to refresh their riding skills • On-line payment for motorcycle training classes when they register on-line.
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NOTEWORTHY
PRACTICES CHEYENNE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION HIGHWAY SAFETY GRANT OCCUPANT PROTECTION BUCKLE UP KIDS PROJECT 2012 - OP03
The Buckle Up Kids Program was first granted funding for child passenger safety training in 1999. The Buckle Up Kids Program through a partnership with Safe Kids USA, WYDOT’s Highway Safety Program, the Wyoming Department of Health, Safe Kids Wyoming, and Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Foundation is a comprehensive statewide initiative that works with local communities to train and certify volunteer personnel to provide child safety seat checks in their communities. The program offers training for technicians and community advocates and offers technical support with one statewide data center on checkers, certified trainers, advocates and the checkup results. The effective child passenger safety training of this grant raises awareness for parents/caregivers of the importance of proper occupant restraint usage for all riding with children. The program also focuses its attention on not only the safety of the children riding in the vehicles, but on all vehicle occupants including teens and adults. The data center evaluates misuse of child restraints from across the state to help direct information to correct problems and also tracks the use of seat belts by drivers.
Buckle Up Kids has seen tremendous growth since its first grant in 1999. Both the number of trained technicians and instructors has increased over time. The program has also effectively modeled aspects of other programs from other states in the nation.
The highlights of the Buckle Up Kids Program through this grant period and from the inception of the program include:
• In the 2005 grant period, the program purchased a 20 foot Interstate Trailer to transport materials for its classes to locations. The trailer is fully stocked with training car seats as well as with welded cages to organize the over 70 car seats in the trailer.
• Through its partnership with Safe Kids Wyoming, since 1999, the Buckle Up Kids program has benefited from the use of the Safe Kids Wyoming van, pickup truck (insured and owned by CRMC) to pull the trailer to the classes, the expertise of the Safe Kids Leadership Team for statewide presence and communication with 17 communities in the state of Wyoming.
• The Buckle Up Kids Program continues to partner with the Safe Kids Wyoming locations for the Gift of A Mother’s Love program. The program gives the first baby born on Valentine’s Day a car seat along with free education and inspection of the car seat by a certified car seat technician.
• The Buckle Up Kids Program also partnered with Safe Kids Wyoming and the Wyoming Highway Patrol to hold multiple safety events in May, 2012 throughout the state. The state office of Safe Kids Wyoming worked with local coordinators in five communities in the state to assist in holding events that included a car seat check-up event in each
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community. The first location on May 9 was in Albany County at the University of Wyoming’s Early Care & Education Center. Seven car seats were checked for the families at the Center. During the event Stephanie Heitsch and Sgt. Duane Ellis did an interview with a gentleman from Kids Count. On May 10 Buckle Up Kids held a car seat event in Hot Springs County at the Hot Springs County State Park. The event also had helmets, and ATV education. A total of 18 car seats were checked and 18 helmets were purchased. On May 11 in Park County at the National Guard Armory was a school event in which there were 185 students and 15 teachers. The event had the sleep safe display, ATV education, bear safety, and the Little Convincer. There were 185 helmets given out. On May 12 Buckle Up Kids was in Campbell County at Campbell County Public Health. The main focus was the car seat event in which 67 car seats were checked. They also had a bike rodeo where 35 helmets were distributed. In Sheridan County the Safe Kids Day was on May 5. In attendance there were 100 children and 30 adults with 5 car seats inspected. Sheridan County held their event the week before the statewide event week so materials were sent to them for assistance. The events were all similar but different in approach.
• In 2006, the program purchased the CPS Tracker to be used as a tool to track the misuse rate of child restraints in Wyoming. The CPS Tracker was used until the program became outdated and with all the changes by Safe Kids USA to the checklist forms, it was impossible for the creator of the program to stay updated with the system. With the tracker no longer used in Wyoming a new method was created by the Buckle Up Kids Program to track all the check list forms that are sent to the office and calculate the misuse of child safety seats. The new system tracks the technicians, instructors and records the statewide efforts in educating the public. In 2011, the child passenger safety programs resulted in over $2 million in health care savings statewide. [Year-end graphs follow the narrative.]
o For the full grant period: 472 CPS Events were held with 3,231 children and 2,862 adults attending 473 technicians assisted at the checkpoints and workshops 1,453 car seats were inspected 637 car seats were distributed
• To date there are 213 certified technicians and 13 instructors in Wyoming. On the expired list there are 326 technicians listed compared to the beginning of the grant cycle at 344 names. Thirty-eight individuals were certified this grant period, four renewed and 47 attended the update classes. The FY2012 grant cycle included the most requests for CPS classes in the history of the program. The last request made was from the FE Warren Air Force Base Fire Department in Cheyenne. This request gave the program six requests in one year, which would have been the most classes ever held in one year. This demonstrates not only the need for the classes, but also the positive reputation of the program. The locations of the classes in the past grant cycle included:
. The January CPS class and the Update and Renewal classes were held on 71
January 9-13, 2012 in Casper, Wyoming. There were 10 students in the full class, thirteen in the Update and two in the Renewal class. Jacob Ribordy/ Rock Springs also successfully completed his instructor candidacy and Dustin Ragon attended the course as an intern and completed his first step in becoming a CPS instructor.
. The March Laramie CPS class, the Update and Instructor classes were held on March 2nd and 3rd and 6-9, 2012. There were 11 instructors that attended the instructor class, 14 students/8 instructors for the update class and 9 students for the certification class. Joe Mathews with the Laramie Fire Department attended the course as an intern and completed his first step in becoming a CPS instructor. The instructor meeting was held in conjunction with the State Farm Reunion Grant. The grant was a $500.00 grant to bring Kim Hermann from Safe Kids USA and Sarah Tilton from Britax to Wyoming to instruct the course and also take part in the Update Course.
. The May/June Rock Springs CPS class was on May 26-27 and June 2-3, 2012. There were eight students that successfully completed the class from Rock Springs Fire Department #1 and from Green River Fire Department.
. An update class was held in Thermopolis on June 22, 2012. Two students attended the class. The certification of one student was due to expire within the next month and without the class the student would have lost his certification.
. The August Sheridan CPS Class and the Update/Renewal Classes were held on August 6- 10, 2012. There were two students in the Renewal Course and 10 students in the Update Course. There were 11 students that attended the full Certification Course bringing the number of technicians in Wyoming to 213 certified technicians. This is the most certified technicians in the state in the history of the program.
. Jake Ribordy, Dustin Ragon and Joe Mathews completed their Instructor Candidacy in the 2011-2012 grant period and have been officially added to the Wyoming Instructor Team.
• The program assists experienced technicians in the state to complete the “Instructor Proxy” application. This allows technicians to officially act as a proxy for the Child Passenger Safety Program and check off seats for technicians in their area for re- certification when instructors are not available. To date, there are three new proxies in the state.
• All of the CPS classes were registered with the Statewide Training and Resource System (STARS) in this grant period to ensure that child care providers receive the appropriate credit hours. The hours with the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) were 72
registered for the classes for nurses and also Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) hours for law enforcement for each course.
• Buckle Up Kids distributed checkup event kits to communities at each Child Passenger Safety Class in order to assist them with inspections of car seats. The kits contain items including a scale, measuring tape, pool noodles (in order to achieve an appropriate angle), brochures and checklist forms. Since 2006, the program has distributed 63 checkup event kits.
• The 2012 Calendar Year to date re-certification report that is sent from Safe Kids USA to the states across the USA continues to highlight Wyoming, ranking 2nd in the nation with a rate of 76.9% in the 2012 August report. The fiscal year report shows a re-certification rate of 69.2% in Wyoming and the calendar year showed a percentage of 68.3%. This accomplishment is due to the list of technicians both certified and expired being continually kept up to date and sent reminders of recertification dates sent on a regular basis. The technicians in Wyoming are being kept in continual communication resulting in increased re-certification. [The fiscal year and calendar year reports are after the narrative.]
• The program orders for each current certified technician in the state the Safe Ride News Publication. The technicians receive the publication on a quarterly basis which furthers their education on the most up-to-date information concerning Child Passenger Safety. The subscription for the Wyoming group also gives each technician 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) towards their two year re-certification.
• In March, 2012, the Trauma program of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center underwent the American College of Surgeon’s Review. The CRMC Injury Prevention program was highlighted as one of the strengths for the Trauma program and was named by the reviewers as one of the most polished Injury Prevention programs they have seen in the United States. They viewed the program as not only the CRMC Injury Prevention program but by default also the State Injury Prevention program and state leader, including the Child Passenger Safety Program. Part of the Final ACS Site Visit Report included: Strengths: 1. Trauma program manager, Susan Wilson 2. Trauma medical director, Dr. Richard Fermelia 3. Tracy Garcia, RN, ED nursing manager 4. The injury prevention program 5. The anesthesiology commitment and response to trauma team activations. 6. The overall program commitment 7. Commitment of the board and trauma program staff 8. Programs in EMS outreach and the transfer center 9. Radiology services 10. The use of tele-video to train RNs and other professional staff in outlying facilities CRMC is engaged in public and professional education. The trauma center provides
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means of referral and access to trauma center resources. There is a trauma injury prevention (including public education activities) program with priorities based on local data. Stephanie Heitsch is the injury prevention coordinator. She has demonstrated job description and salary support. She is a definite strength of the trauma program and a leader in Wyoming Injury Prevention. Examples of CRMC’s Injury Prevention program include: 1. Safe Kids Wyoming (SKW) Coalition (lead office) 2. The Booster Seat Club 3. Walk to School Day 4. Bicycle helmet workshops/distribution 5. Health and safety fairs 6. Car seat education fairs 7. Safe Kids Day 8. Traffic safety workshops During the site verification dinner, Stephanie Heitsch gave a presentation and handouts which gave details about the injury prevention activities. A new program “Safe Communities” allows for the targeting and education of older community members. The college and high schools are being selected for education on distracted driving, impaired driving, and seat belt use. Stephanie Heitsch has recently been appointed to the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving.
• Stephanie Heitsch continues to be a member of the Wyoming Seatbelt Coalition. The Coalition and partnership continue to strive towards a primary seatbelt law in Wyoming and will educate the public towards the goal. The Injury Prevention Department took on the responsibility with funding from the Seat Belt Coalition to launch the “Tough Guys, Buckle Up” billboard campaign. The billboards were featured in Cheyenne during the month of July for Cheyenne Frontier Days. The campaign worked with Next Media Billboards. Next Media also produced four extra paper prints to be displayed in areas in Cheyenne where there was extra room at no cost to the program. The only cost was the printing of the paper billboards, but not for the space. The individuals featured on the billboards were:
Jhett Johnson, World Champion Team Roper 2011, Casper
Kelly Timberman, World Champion Bareback Rider 2004, Mills
Sami Jo Heitsch/Miss Frontier and Lady-in-Waiting, Chloe Pfoor
Thunderbirds Pilot #4
• The staff worked with the local law enforcement media coordinator in Cheyenne in order to distribute media efforts that were consistent and showed a strong partnership with law enforcement.
• The safekidswyoming.org includes several links for traffic safety advocates and technicians to assist in technical support and knowledge of child passenger safety. A current listing of Safe Kids Wyoming Coalitions/Partners is on the website as well as inspection stations in Wyoming. The website also lists the most
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current Child Passenger Safety classes to be held in the state.
• The program continues to publish the quarterly newsletter titled “Buckle Up Express”. The newsletter is sent to all CPS technicians and advocates. The program has established the delivery of the program to be 100% electronic to assist with the budget of the grant and is sent out to over 300 technicians and advocates. The program also publishes the Safe Kids Wyoming Newsletter and Laramie County Newsletter quarterly. The Safe Kids Wyoming also has launched a Facebook page which highlights the importance of highway safety along with the additional objectives of Safe Kids Wyoming and its partnership with the Buckle Up Kids program and Safe Communities.
• The program has continued to send the coordinator and assistant of the program to a national conference during each grant period. Two staff members attended the KIDZ in Motion Conference in the past grant period. This conference was beneficial to both members to increase their knowledge in child passenger safety.
• In the week of September, the program worked with the Safe Kids Coalitions/Partners to highlight Child Passenger Safety Week. The program assisted communities to hold Boost Til 9 events in the state. There were sixteen locations that participated in the event all receiving press releases, posters and flyers for their communities.
• The Buckle Up Kids program assists all of the hospitals in Wyoming with the need for Special Needs Car Seats for children. The program has in stock:
o Three Hippo Car Seats (for children with Hip Spica Casts) o Five car beds (for premature children with medical conditions) o Six low birth weight infant seats (for children under 5 pounds) o Several Special Needs Vests (for lap belt only vehicles, vehicles with space restrictions and hyperactive children)
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September
Inspected Distributed Total Checked Misuse Booster Misuse 8 9 100.00% 100.00% Albany County 0 0 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0! Big Horn County 53 32 85 98.04% 94.12% Campbell County 10 32 0 100.00% 100.00% Converse County 37 29 66 100.00% 62.50% Fremont County 2 0 2 100.00% #DIV/0! Hot Springs County 3 3 6 100.00% 100.00% Johnson County 40 14 54 97.30% 100.00% Laramie County 0 0 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0! Lincoln County 24 10 34 76.19% 66.67% Natrona County 20 9 29 100.00% 50.00% Park County 0 0 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0! Platte County 19 3 22 80.00% 33.33% Sheridan County 0 0 0 #DIV/0! #DIV/0! Sweetwater County 5 0 5 100.00% #DIV/0! Teton County 5 4 9 100.00% #DIV/0! Uinta County 19 13 32 100.00% 100.00% Coalition 248 140 388 95.65% 80.85% STATEWIDE TOTAL
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5 Year Statistics of Program
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A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 A26 A27 A28 A29 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A37 A38 A39 A40 A41